US2600229A - Foldable metal awning - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1952 N. L. ETTEN 2,600,229

F LD-A Filed July 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 10, 1952 N. ETTEN 2,600,229

FOLDABLE METAL AWNING Filed July 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2a ELI/27722:?

M'cl'zolas L. Etiezz June 10, 1952 N. L. ETTEN 2,600,229

FOLDABLE METAL AWNING Filed July 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4

ETFETTZZIT JWc/Loias L. Effelz E wa a; 2M% H7775 June 10, 1952 N. ETTEN 2,600,229

FOLDABLE METAL AWNING Filed July 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fl/l'c/zolczs L. Etten June 10, 1952 N. ETTEN FOLDABLE METAL AWNING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 11, 1951 Fiqn Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED ME -r osslxc This invention relates toafoldablen etal awn: ing; and operating means therefor.

Conventional foldable awnings of, the ast have sufiered from numerous disadvantages. In par: ticularthose constructedbfcanvas and th eplike 5 have .been generally, quite flimsy in; constructionp andsare-highly susceptibleto damage by wind; and. .the. elements.

An object of this; inyention is; to provideen; improved awning of, a strong and;-durable metal 1 construction.

Another object of thisiinvention is to provide improved operating means tor a foldableawning A further'object of thisinvention is;to'p ;ovide animproved awning readily constructed oi install: arid1sm0othly and-easilyactuatable betweerkre al edan ende o tio Still another object of this inveh-tiomis to; provide an improved -fo1dable W metal; "awning*sci constructed as, to be self locking inbothre traot'ed and extended positions.

A i still further OblfiOt of this invention: is, to provide a foldable awning with iniptroxnd -'ope'rating means whereb y itcan be qu-iclily and easily extended. I

According to this invention, the awnin in:- eludes M a plurality; of fhinge -connectedj lowered 1 panel 'seetions 'actuatable from compact folded};- no 'i ns. o xt d d re i l s I ivet l i de, panels are connected to the top ipanel sectidns f sodas, to be actuatedtherewith andare sg s1 p se s to ofiervs ppo orith fie st nde ton. pane s we l as. oi r v ntientlrn tp ain r; thellike frOmQthe sides, 7 Thej. inge i onnect hns.. of the top panels are so relatedthat the 'top p n s .arrelin overecenter,v lo king rela ion i t e" extende Qs ionsI .there f;wh.. e swe sht o the Jba Ild "themselves m in ains em'. s per: imposed. ela ion. in, the J r tr ct d. no,v ti ns. thereofi 5 Thenuter extended p paneirsect on s,-a.. valance wsection hin ed here o, a 12 pe: nd; pulley er' tinameans ;ac.t.;on; he al nce see-1 tion ,;to retract or (fold .theflawninaj The jvalance section, in, its initial, retracting. 45.

movement engages the outer, extendefi topipanlelg section to moveit out of it'slo er centeg ioelz d position, The awni sic nl e I. u clsly; xte. 1;1.1e .r.1;l, the-f robe being so. connected that, onlyv mm; movement. is. thejoldedtposition gthereor,to .fa.positio wh; the weight of the parts themselves will c'af yqtheml togthe-extended positions thereofi Other obj ects} features and =ad vantages y of, the

r se t; invention fwill become} m og grei y gapgi 55.

,ecessary to moveitheriiartsi from;

10 Clailns.v (01. -58) parent from the following detailed description, taken; in; c0njuncti0n with the accompanying; drawings which; illustrate a preferred embodiment oi ti-reinvention and in which:

Figured is a perspectiveviewof an awnings, qnstructed according to this invention mounted j on a window frame and in extended position; I

Figure 2 is a perspective view v of the dawning of Figure 1 in retracted or: folded positi nil Figure Bis aside elevationalviewlof the awning, of Figure 1 with thefpartsin the Qrelativepositic'mns; thereof 5 just after 1 p the I start of the, retractin ov me t;

Figure 4 is aside-elevational view of. the awning showing the relative positions of the parts at 1. a further stage of theretracting movement;

Figure v5 is a; side elevational View of fan u'pper; portion of the awning with the top panelsections, in s folded: positions,- the retracting movement; havingbeen completed;

Figure ,fi-is, asectional view taken along line ,VI VI of vFigure 1;

Figure '7 is a frontelevational view illustrating the; rope and V pulley; operating; meansforthe awning,:the;top panels and sides being shown ,in'{ phantomsfor clarityof illustration; and

Figure. 8 .is aqsectional View; on an enlarged; scale, taken substantially; aiong line of Figure 1.

In general, an awning l constructed according to this inventionm ay include an'vuppen louvered top panel or canopy 7 section 20 arranged to be affixed to and extend .outwardlyiand downwardly; from the upper portion of a window ordoor frame; Apair of triangulate side panels Zlandllhayeupper edge portionsfthereof lsecured,to the top;v panels 20. Inturned flanges atlthe. -rear1ver.tical;,, edges of the side panels '2 l and 22 may be secured; to the side members of thewindowiordoor frames;

An intermediate louvered .topl panelsection23=zz is -hinged by means of pins 2'1" to the flower and; outer edge pqrtion of the upper fixed top panel;; 20 and an outerlo'uvered top panel-section 25 is; hinged by pins- 25 to the-intermediate section- 23; The tbp panelsections 23 and ZB maylthus, be folded into superimposed relation' over-"th fixed top panel section 20 as illus trat'ed in Figures 2 and 5 or may be actuated to the extended positions illustrated inFigures 1 and 6. The movesubstantially vment of the top panel. sections 23-,andy25 -will;be

clearfrQm preference. to Figures :3 and f4} which show the sections in intermediate positions; Tois deithesec ions 3 'andfit n l h rm m nit betwe nl e ed. and. extended i'ppsition sia pairs; arrns..;21;are pivoted bylpin's 281.130 lower:

3 portions of the fixed side panels 2| and 22 and are pivotally secured to the outer top panel section 25.

A plurality of side panels are arranged to be movable from retracted positions in nested relationship with the fixed side panels 2| and 22 to extended positions in which they are so disposed as to offer support for the extended top panels as well as to prevent entry of rain and the like from the side. These include a pair of intermediate triangulate side panels 29 and 30 and a pair of outer triangulate panels 3| and 32 each pivotally secured to the associated one of the fixed side panels 2| and 22 by means of pins 32a.

The movable side panels 29, 30, and 3| and 32 are connected together for concurrent movement. For this purpose, a horizontal hollow shaft 33 is journaled for rotation between the fixed side panels 2| and 22 and below the fixed top panel section 20. are secured to the shaft 33, an intermediate point on each lever arm 34 being connected through a link or arm 35 to the associated one of the intermediate side panels 29 and 3B and an outer point of each lever arm 34 being connected through a link or arm 36 to the associated one of the outer side panels 3| and 32.

A unique and advantageous arrangement is provided for actuation of the movable parts of the awning from the extended positions thereof to the folded positions thereof. This arrangement includes a valance section 38 which is hinged to the outer top panel section 25 by pins 39. Rope and pulley means are arranged to act on this valance section 38 to retract the awning. Lost-motion connections are provided between the valance section 38 and the side panels 3| and 32 including a pair of arcuate slots 40 (Figure 6) in the outer side panels 3| and 32; headed studs 4| afiixed to the valance section 33 are engaged in these arcuate slots 43.

The advantages of the lost-motion connections and of other structures described above will be made clear hereinafter in a detailed description of the operation of the awning, but a clear understanding of the rope and pulley arrangement will be advantageous in considering the operation as a whole and will now be described.

Referring to Figures 6, 7 and 8, a pair of pulleys 42 and 43 are rotatably secured to the valance section 38 and three pulleys 44, 45 and 4B are mounted beneath the fixed top panel section 20. A rope 41 is secured at one end to the shaft 33 and extends downwardly to the valance section 38, about the pulley 42, upwardly over the shaft 33, around the pulley 44, over to and around pulley 45, downwardly over the shaft 33 to the valance 38, around the pulley 43, upwardly over the shaft 33, around the pulley 46, downwardly to a looped portion with the other end of the rope 41 being secured to the right-hand link 36, viewed in Figure 6, adjacent the pivotal connection of the link 36 to the arm 34. The looped portion of the rope 41 forms actuating portions 41a and 411) which may be selectively pulled downwardly manually to retract or extend the awning.

Retraction It will be seen that when the awning is extended as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6, the axis of hinge pins 26 is below a line through the axis of hinge pins 24 and the axis of pivotal connection of the arms 21 to the outer to panel section 25 so that the movable top panel sections 23 and 25 l are effectively locked in an over- A pair of lever arms 34 center relation. When the portion 47a of the rope 4! is pulled downwardly, the rope will act inwardly on the valance-section pulleys 42 and 43, and the valance section 38 and the outer top panel section 25 will pivot as a unit about the axis of pivotal connection of the arm 2'! to the top panel section 25. The position of the parts just after this initial retracting movement has taken place is illustrated in Figure 3. It will be noted that, as shown in Figure 3, the parts have been moved out of over-center locking position with the axis of pin 25 above a line through the axis of pin 24 and the axis of pivotal connections of the arms 21 with the top panel section 25. Thus the parts that have been locked in over-center relation in the extended position thereof will be moved out of the locking relation in the initial retracting actuation of the rope 41.

Further downward movement of the portion 41a of the rope will move the parts through the position of Figure 4 to the fully retracted. position as shown in Figures 2 and 5. It will be noted that the side panels are retracted through the engagement of studs 4| on the valance section 38 in the slots 40 in the side panels 3| and 32. The lost-motion connection provided by studs 4| and the slots 40 prevents locking and binding of the parts in their movement between retracted and extended positions.

Extension To actuate the movable parts of the awning from the retracted position thereof illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 to the extended position, the portion 411) of the rope is pulled downwardly which will rotate the lever arm 34 counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 5, to force the movable side panels outwardly by means of links 35, 36. The outer side panels 3| and 32 will actuate the valance section 38 outwardly through the engagement of studs 4| in slots 40 and the valence section 38, in turn, moves the top panel sections 23 and 25 about the axis of hinge pins 24 until a position is reached where the weight of the top panel sections and side panel sections is sufiicient to carry them on out to the extended position thereof. Thus only a comparatively small movement of the portion 41b of the rope is required to extend the awning.

Having thus described the construction and operation of the awning in general, the construction and assembly of the component parts of the awning of this invention will be described in detail.

The upper fixed top panel section 20 includes a pair of facing allochiral channels 5| and 52 between which a plurality of louvers are secured. The channels 5| and 52 are secured to inturned flanges at the upper edges of fixed side panels 2| and 22 as by rivets. An upper or watershed louver 53, Figure 6, is secured at each end below the upper legs or flanges of the channels 5| and 52 and has a downturned flange 5311 which may be secured to the upper member of a window or door frame, aS by screws.

A plurality of louvers 54 are secured in overlapping relation between the side panels 5| and 52. For this purpose, the side panels 5| and 52 have integrally formed attachment ears 55 and 56 to which the louvers 54 are riveted or otherwise affixed.

The pulley blocks 44, 45 and 43 may be aflixed to members 51 which are mounted below the watershed louver 53. The ends of the shaft 33 areiiournaledin bearingplates 58 secured to the side vchannels-,5 l, and 52 .1

The-intermediate toppanel section Zsincludes a pairpf allochiral sidechannels 59 and 60 and a plurality of louvers 6| afiixed therebetween. The sidechannels59 and 60 are preferably provided withz'integral tabs 62 and 631: which the louvers Glare riveted or otherwise secured. To hinge the;

toppanelsection 23 to the fixed toppanel section 2il,- the-side:ch annels 5i and 5201 the fixed top panelsectionifl and the side channels 59 and 6t ofithe intermediate top panel section 23 are preferably formed with integral loops forming bearings fertile-hinge pins 24..

The..: outer top;panel section 25 includes a pair of allochiral side channels 65 and 66 each having integral mountingfltabs 61 and 68 to which end portions of a plurality of louvers 69 are riveted or otherwise afiixed. To hinge thetop panel section 25 to the top...panel section 23,. the side channels 59 and 60 of the top panel section 23 and the side channels 65 and 66 of the top panel section ZS- may beformed with integral loops forming bearings for thehingepins 2d. The pivotal connection between the arms 2'! and the top panel section are likewise provided by integral loops H on the side channels 65 and 66 which provide bearings in which transversely extending terminal end portions of the arms 2? are journaled.

The valance section 38 includes a pair of a1lo chiral side brackets 13 and i l each having a generally L-shaped cross-section and a valance plate 15 extending between and aflixed to the brackets 13 and 14. The brackets 73 and i l have integral loop portions aligned with integral loop portions of the side channels 65 and Eli of the top panel section 25 to provide bearings for the hinge pins 39.

The pulleys 42 and 43 are rotatably supported on a pair of brackets 16 and TI, respectively (Figures 6 and 8), which are secured to the side brackets 13 and M, respectively, of the valance section 38. The studs M, which extend through the slots 40 in the side panels 3! and 32, are threaded into internally threaded openings in the pulley support brackets 16 and H.

In summary, the awning of this invention is assembled from readily formed metal parts to provide a strong and durable construction attractive in appearance. The movable components of the awning lock in over-center relation in the extended positions thereof but may be readily actuated by the rope and pulley arrangement into folded positions. The awning may be quickly and easily extended since the rope need be pulled downwardly only a comparatively small distance to actuate the panels to positions Where they are carried by their own weight to the extend locked positions thereof.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An awning comprising a plurality of hingeconnected top panel sections extendable from folded relation to extended over-center locked relation, and retracting means acting on the outermost top panel section and initially moving said sections out of said over-center locked relation.

2. An awning comprising a plurality of hingeconnected top panel sections foldable from extended relation into gravity-locked superimposed relation, and extending means actuatable to move ation'z nd r xtendedr position :in-= -overscenter ded; 1 s t ens.r hisravitxelocked gsunerimpcse ked posi ions,- roper. andepnu y; retrac means, acting :zOIl; =the. loutermoste cp panelisec tion and initially moving said sections out of said over-center locked relation, and extending means actuatable to move said panel sections out of said superimposed relation to positions in which they are gravity-impelled to said extended positions.

6. An awning comprising a downwardly inclined fixed top panel section, a first movable top panel section hinged to said fixed top panel section, a second movable top panel section hinged to said first movable top panel section, and a guide and support arm pivoted at one end thereof to said second movable section and pivoted at the other end thereof for movement about a fixed axis spaced below said fixed top panel section, said movable panels being actuatable from folded positions in superimposed gravity-locked relation over said fixed top panel section to extended positions generally in alignment with said fixed top panel section and in over-center locked relation.

7. An awning comprising a downwardly inclined fixed top panel section, a, first movable top panel section hinged to said fixed top panel section, a second movable top panel section hinged to said first movable top panel section, and a guide and support arm pivoted at one end thereof to said second movable section and pivoted at the other end thereof for movement about a fixed axis spaced below said fixed top panel section, said movable panels bein actuatable from folded positions in superimposed gravity-locked relation about said fixed top panel section to extended positions generally in alignment with said fixed top panel sections in which the axis of the hinge connection of said first and second movable top panel section is spaced below a line through the axis of the hinged connection of said first movable section to said fixed section and the axis of pivotal connection of said guide arm to said second section, whereby said sections are locked in over-center relation.

8. An awning comprising a downwardly inclined fixed top panel section, a first movable top panel section hinged to said fixed top panel section, a second movable top panel section hinged to said first movable top panel section, a guide and support arm pivoted at one end thereof to said second movable section and pivoted at the other end thereof for movement about a fixed axis spaced below said fixed panel section, said movable panels being actuatable from folded positions in stacked gravity-locked relation above said fixed top panel section to extended positions generally in alignment with said fixed top panel section and in over-center locked relation, a valance section connected to said second movable top panel section, and rope and pulley retracting means acting on said valance section to pivot the same and said second movable top panel section about the axis of the pivotal connection between said arm and said second movable section and thereby out of overcenter locked relation.

9. An awning comprising a downwardly inclined fixed top panel section, a first movable top panel section hinged to said fixed top panel section, a second movable top panel section hinged to said first movable top panel section, said movable panels being foldable from extended relation into gravity-locked superimposed relation over said fixed sections, and awning extending means for actuating said movable sections out of folded relation to positions in which they are gravity-impelled to extended positions.

10. An awning comprising a plurality of hinge connected top panel sections foldable from extended positions into gravity-locked superimposed relation, a pair of side panel assemblies each including a plurality of side panels movable fan-like from positions in nested relation to extended position in supporting relation to said top panel sections, means connecting said side panel assemblies and said top panels for concurrent movement, and awning extending means acting on said side panels and actuatable to move said top panel sections out of said gravity-locked superimposed relation to positions in which they are gravity-impelled to extended positions.

NICHOLAS L. ET'I'EN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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