US3537688A - Convertible windbreak - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 3,537,688 CONVERTIBLE WINDBREAK Bertha Stein, 1981 Yorktown Blvd., Toms River, NJ. 08753 Filed Dec. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 783,937 Int. Cl. E04h 17/16 US. Cl. 256-24 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This specification discloses a portable, collapsible, economical and practical device defining a multi-sectioned windbreak for protection against wind and sand in gardens, patios; at beaches, poolsides and laksides. The device comprises a combination of a suitable wind-impervious material interspersed with mutually spaced ground anchoring poles running transversely thereto. The device can be converted into any one of several different configurations, depending upon the number and size of its separate windbreaking sections. It can also be devised as a winter protection for shrubs and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a simply constructed, practical and economical means of providing a windbreak for one or more persons or for winter storm protection around either separate shrubs, plants, etc., or stetched along the foundation of a building.

Description of the prior art Conventional shelters from the elements on beaches and lake or poolsides are usually complicated, extravagantly constructed cabanas for shielding one or more occupants from sun and shower as well as wind, or unsightly makeshift affairs.

Previously, it has been the practice to wrap a piece of burlap around a shrub or along a foundation and secure it by string or wire either to the plants or around the plants. The principal objection to such improvised means is that of being unsightly and diflicult to manage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According ot the present invention, a multi-sectioned wind-impervious material is anchored to the ground as by mutually spaced stakes attached to the material to partition its sections and maintain said sections in vertically extended position perpendicular to the ground.

The sections of the windbreak can be defined by vertical two-ply sleeves which are open at the top and bottom. The sleeves are stitched to the material at each end and at mutually spaced positions intermediate its length. Stakes pointed at one end are inserted through the sleeves from top to bottom for penetration into turf, sand, gravel, etc. Or pairs of aligned grommets can be disposed at the ends and intermediate thereof to define said sections by securing the grommets to poles and the like having hooks attached thereto in oppositely disposed directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detail description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein FIG. 1 is a broken elevational view of a stake or pole having an upturned hook proximate the top thereof and a downturned hook in spaced relation thereto;

FIG. '2 is an elevational view of a three sectioned windbreak wherein each section is defined by aligned pairs of grommets for attachment to the books on four stakes such as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a broken, elevational view of a hookless stake;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a modified windbreak wherein its three sections are defined by vertical two-ply sleeves;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an assembled windbreak placed in an operative U-shaped position by placing the stakes shown in FIG. 3 through the sleeves of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a four sectioned windbreak used to form a triangular protected area;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the windbreak of FIG. 6 used to protect a shrub or the like from winter winds, sand and snow drifts;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a windbreak with its overhead extensions in open position;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the windbreak shown in FIG. 8 with its extensions zippered together to form an arcuate wind-sand deflecting dome; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a dome-supporting pole.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 2 shows a rectangular sheet of wind-impervious material 10, having a reinforced edging 11 around its periphery and aligned pairs of grommets 12 disposed along the upper and lower edges 13, 14, respectively.

Each pair of grommets are adapted to be attached to an upturned hook 15 and a downturned hook 16, respectively, mounted on a stake or pole 17, as shown in FIG. 1. When so attached the pointed ends 18 of the poles can be pushed into sand, turf or other anchoring material to form a straight windbreak as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4; a two sided as shown in FIG. 6, a three sided as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9; a four sided as shown in FIG. 7; or an L-shaped windbreak if only one section is placed at right angles to the others.

In lieu of grommets adapted to be looped over hooks on an anchoring stake, such as shown in FIG. 1, to form three separate sections 19, 20, 21, the windbreak 10a may be provided with a series of vertical sleeves 22 disposed at each end and intermediate thereof to form three separate sections 19a, 20a, 21a. A smooth pile 17a, with a point 18a at one said, may then be inserted through each sleeve before being thrust into the ground surface to form the U-shaped windbreak illustrated in FIG. 5. One or more pockets 23 for accessories or litter, etc. can be provided on the inner surface of windbreaks adapted for personal use, such as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

It is understood that poles 17, 17a are here shown broken to indicate a greater length beyond the width of the windbreak to allow for a sufficient depth of penetration into the sand or soil.

The windbreak can be of any desirable size or length depending upon its intended use. The embodiment 10b, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has four sections instead of three, and is held erect by five stakes or poles. The windbreak shown in FIG. 6 is anchored in an inverted V-shape to shelter several persons from strong sand blowing trade winds and the like. It would probably be made of solid colors or patterned nylon, canvas duck, plastic or other flexible, waterproof material. The same construction used as a garden protective device, as illustrated in FIG. 7, would also be of cheerful printed stripes or patterned material to brighten up landscapes during the drab winter months.

If desired, the windbreak can be converted into a partial sun and rain shelter as well, by adding three substantially triangular extensions 24, 25, 26 to the sections 190, 21c, 200, respectively, see FIG. 8. These extensions may be provided with strips of stiffening material (not shown) along the outer edges and can be zippered as at 28 to the middle extension 26 to form a substantially arcuate wind and sand deflecting dome, as shown in FIG. 9.

When the dome portion of the windbreak is not required, the extensions can be folded downwardly within the windbreak. Or, the extensions can also be zippered or otherwise removably attached to the upper edges 130 of the windbreak.

If the proportions of the windbreak are large enough, extensions 24, 25, 26 can be provided with a circular hole 27 at the apex thereof for overlapped ringing around the upper end of a centrally disposed dome supporting pole 29, having an extension retaining stop 29a, see FIGS. 9 and 10.

In practice, the windbreaks can be unrolled either attached or unattached to their light-weight wood or aluminum supporting poles, whereupon the pointed ends of the poles are pushed into the sand or other penetrable surface to anchor the one, two, three or four sided windbreak into stabile position.

When returning from the beach, etc., the stakes are pulled up and the windbreak rolled around them for easy transport to car or home. If desired, the rolled windbreak can be packed into a suitable fabric carrying case with handle.

The forms of the invention here described and illustrated are presented merely as examples of how the invention may be embodied and applied. Other forms, embodiments and applications of the invention will of course suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A windbreak comprising at least four ground-penetrating stakes having one pointed end, a substantially rectangular wind-impervious material provided with means for attaching the upper and lower edges thereof to said stakes to form at least a three sectional windbreak, three separable substantially triangular flaps secured to and extending above said upper edge of each of the three sections of said windbreak, securement means disposed along the inner edge of the two outer flaps, auxiliary means disposed along both edges of the inner flap, said said auxiliary means cooperating with said securement means for joining said flaps together to form an arcuate cover for said windbreak and a pole with a transverse stop disposed proximate the top thereof, each of said flaps provided with an aperture for encircling said pole above said stop for supporting said cover.

2. A windbreak according to claim 1, wherein said flaps are removably attached to said upper edge of said material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 185,559 12/1876 Mapleson. 1,123,657 1/1915 Bache -1 1,669,484 5/1928 Mowry. 1,672,338 6/1928 Lilleso-Peterson 135-1 1,930,404 10/ 1933 Wagner. 2,196,544 4/1940 Bagley. 2,208,458 7/ 1940 Julian et al. 2,997,277 8/ 1961 Schwartz 25 624 DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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