Portable partition

Claim 2

In a panel unit for portable partitions wherein said unit comprises a panel structure adapted to extend substantially between upper and lower room surfaces, and includes an opentopped recess extending along the upper end thereof and in the plane of the panel structure, a grip member extending substantially the width of said panel structure and mounted within said recess, with said grip member being movable for a limited travel vertically of said panel structure between a retracted and inoperative position along the top of the panel structure within said recess and an extended position projecting from said recess with said grip member being adapted to engage the upper room surface when in a position intermediate said positions, and means for spring biasing said grip member for movement toward said extended position, the improvement wherein: said spring biasing means comprises: a lever device articulated between said panel structure and said grip member, said lever device comprising: a plurality rigid links connected in leverage applying relation between said grip member and said panel structure and acting in the plane of said panel structure to swing between retracted positions wherein they extend generally longitudinally of said member to dispose said grip member in its said retracted position, and extended positions wherein they are upwardly angled relative to said recess to dispose said grip member in its said extended position, spring means acting substantially parallel to and longitudinally of said grip member and connected to said links for biasing same to said extended positions of the links thereof, with the biasing action of said spring means on said lever device acting substantially parallel to and longitudinally of said grip member, and stop means for defining the upper limit of said grip member travel, whereby the pressure that said grip member makes on the room upper surface under the action of said spring means through said lever device increases in relation to the displacement upwardly of said grip member from said retracted position toward said extended position thereof up to a maximum displacement of said grip member from said retracted position to said extended position thereof, said grip member travel being proportioned to include at least a substantial portion of said grip member maximum displacement.

Claim 3

In a panel unit for portable partitions, said unit comprising: a panel structure adapted to extend substantially between upper and lower room surfaces, and including a channel-shaped member extending along the upper end thereof and in the plane of the panel structure, a grip member extending substantially the width of said panel structure and mounted within said channel member, said grip member substantially paralleling said channel member and being movable for a limited travel vertically of said panel structure between a retracted inoperative position along the top of the panel structure within said channel member and an extended position projecting from said channel member with said grip member being adapted to engage the upper room surface when in a position intermediate said positions, and means For spring biasing said grip member for movement toward said extended position, said spring biasing means comprising: a lever device articulated between said channel member and said grip member, said lever device comprising: a plurality rigid links connected in leverage applying relation between said members and acting in the plane of said panel structure to swing between retracted positions wherein they extend generally longitudinally of said members to dispose said grip member in its said retracted position, and extended positions wherein they are upwardly angled relative to said channel member to dispose said grip member in its said extended position, spring means acting substantially parallel to and longitudinally of said members and connected to said links for biasing same to said extended positions of the links thereof, with the biasing action of said spring means on said lever device acting substantially parallel to and longitudinally of said grip member, and stop means for defining the upper limit of said grip member travel, whereby the pressure that said grip member makes on the room upper surface under the action of said spring means through said lever device increases in relation to the displacement upwardly of said grip member from said retracted position toward said extended position thereof up to a maximum displacement of said grip member from said retracted position to said extended position thereof, said grip member travel being proportioned to include at least a substantial portion of said grip member maximum displacement.

Claim 4

In a panel unit for portable partitions, said unit comprising: a panel structure adapted to extend substantially between upper and lower room surfaces, and including a channel-shaped member extending along the upper end thereof and in the plane of the panel structure, a grip member extending substantially the width of said panel structure and mounted within said channel member, said grip member substantially paralleling said channel member and being movable for a limited travel vertically of said panel structure between a retracted inoperative position along the top of the panel structure within said channel member and an extended position projecting from said channel member with said grip member being adapted to engage the upper room surface when in a position intermediate said positions, and means For spring biasing said grip member for movement toward said extended position, said spring biasing means comprising: a lever device articulated between said channel member and said grip member, said lever device comprising: a plurality rigid links connected in leverage applying relation between said members and acting in the plane of said panel structure to swing between retracted positions wherein they extend generally longitudinally of said members to dispose said grip member in its said retracted position, and extended positions wherein they are upwardly angled relative to said channel member to dispose said grip member in its said extended position, spring means acting substantially parallel to and longitudinally of said members and connected to said links for biasing same to said extended positions of the links thereof, with the biasing action of said spring means on said lever device acting substantially parallel to and longitudinally of said grip member, and stop means for defining the upper limit of said grip member travel, whereby the pressure that said grip member makes on the room upper surface under the action of said spring means through said lever device increases in relation to the displacement upwardly of said grip member from said retracted position toward said extended position thereof up to a maximum displacement of said grip member from said retracted position to said extended position thereof, said grip member travel being proportioned to include at least a substantial portion of said grip member maximum displacement.

Claim 5

The panel unit set forth in claim 2 wherein: said unit adjacent the respective side edges thereof includes a stabilizing device acting between said grip member and said panel structure, said stabilizing devices each comprising a rod member anchored in said panel structure and projecting into the path of movement of said grip member between said retracted and extended positions, said rod members extending substantially parallel to said path of movement, and a follower slidably mounted on each of said rod members and keyed to said grip member.

Claim 6

The panel unit set forth in claim 2 wherein: said unit includes along each side edge thereof a side rail structure adapted to complement the side rail of an identical unit placed in juxtaposition to same in abutting edge to edge relationship, and including an adapter element carried by one end of said grip member and proportioned to be received in and substantially complement the end portion of a like panel unit grip member placed in juxtaposition to same.

Claim 7

The panel unit set forth in claim 2 wherein: said unit at its lower end includes a base assembly comprising: a pair of stud members threadedly mounted in said panel structure adjacent each side edge thereof and extending substantially parallel thereto and projecting downwardly of the lower end of said panel structure, a channel member received over the said lower end of said panel structure, and nut means threaded on the respective stud members and coupled to said base assembly channel member for adjustably positioning said base assembly channel member relative to said panel structure to accommodate canted floors and the like, said base assembly channel member defining the lower room surface engaging portion of said unit.

Claim 8

The panel unit set forth in claim 5 wherein: the portion of said base assembly channel member defining said unit portion is shaped to define spaced narrow runners extending parallel to the plane of said unit for engaging carpeted surfaces and permitting ready sliding movement of said unit therealong.

Claim 9

The panel unit set forth in claim 6 wherein: said runners of said base assembly channel member portion are spaced apart to receive between same an abutment member adhered to hard surfaced floors.

Claim 10

The panel unit set forth in claim 2 wherein: said lever device rigid links each comprising a lever of substantially rectilinear configuration, each of said levers having operably associated therewith a cross lever of rectilinear configuration, with the respective levers and cross levers being pivoted together into lazytong pairs and the like ends of said same operably engaging said grip member and the other ends thereof operably engaging said channel member, and wherein said spring means comprises tension spring means connected between said lazytong pairs.

Claim 11

The panel unit set forth in claim 8 wherein: in each said lazytong pairs said like ends of said levers are pivotally connected to said grip member and said other ends thereof have roller means interposed between same and said channel member, and said like ends of said cross levers have roller means interposed between same and said grip member and said other ends thereof are pivotally connected to said channel member.

Claim 12

The panel unit set forth in claim 9 including: means for moving said lever devices to said retracted positions thereof against the action of said spring means and comprising cord means interconnecting the levers of one of said lazytong pairs for swinging same to said retracted position thereof against the action of said spring means, said cord means extending down along one of side rails of said units, and means for releasably latching said cord means against movement under the bias of said spring means, said side rail being recessed to receive said cord means and said latching means therefor.

Claim 13

The assembly set forth in claim 4 including: an end post therefor for covering one side edge of said unit, said end post comprising: a channel member received over the panel unit side rail of said side edge and defining planar side and end surfaces adapted to be engaged by side rails of like panel units, means for securing said end post channel member to said unit side edge including means for adjusting the position of same relative to the panel unit side rail received within same, said end post at the upper end thereof including a supplemental channel member applied over the end of the grip member of said panel unit adjacent same.