Sound absorption structures

Claim 2

An acoustical barrier panel comprising a laterally extending continuous series of vertically extending pockets, each said pocket formed of a flexible sheet material sleeve filled with particulate material, said pockets each having a uniform transverse cross section from its top to near to its bottom, said particulate material being a sound-absorbent material, and wherein each adjacent pocket of said series is joined to a Plurality of pockets and the thickness through said series does not vary more than 50 percent its minimum transverse thickness, and also comprising a transversely extending sound-absorbing unit below the bottom of said pockets of said series, the bottom of said pockets contacting the top of said transversely extending unit, said transversely extending unit comprising a flexible sheet material cover filled with said particulate sound-absorbing material, said barrier panel located in a room having a floor and a ceiling, said barrier panel supported at its top and extending vertically toward the floor, the transversely extending unit having one surface thereof resting on the floor and another surface thereof contacting the bottom of said pockets.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the pockets are formed of a reinforced composite laminated sheet material, two components of which are joined together and have different tensile strengths.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein one component of the said composite sheet material is elastically distended by the weight of filling material in contact therewith and another component of said composite material extends for the length of said pockets and is not distended by the said weight of said filling material.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the specific gravity of the filling material is greater than 2.

Claim 6

An acoustical barrier assembly as in claim 1 wherein each of said pockets is connected to a pocket on either side thereof by a web.

Claim 7

An acoustical barrier comprising a plurality of panel assemblies each assembly comprising a laterally extending continuous series of vertically extending pockets, each said pocket formed of a flexible sheet material, sleeve villed with particulate material, said pockets each having a uniform transverse cross section from its top to near to its bottom, said particulate material being a sound-absorbent material and wherein the filled pockets of one of said series of pockets contact and interdigitate with the filled pockets or another of said series of pockets and the front to rear transverse thickness through said barrier does not vary from side to side more than 50 percent of its minimum transverse thickness, and wherein the pocket walls are formed of a reinforced laminate composite sheet material, two components of which are mechanically joined and have different tensile strengths, one component of the said composite sheet material is elastically distended by the weight of filling material in contact therewith and another component of said composite material extends for the vertical length of said pocket and is not distended by the said weight of said filling material, and a transversely extending sound-absorbing unit below the bottom of said pockets of said series, the bottom of said pockets contacting the top of said transversely extending unit, said transversely extending unit comprising a flexible sheet material cover filled with said particulate sound-absorbing material, said barrier panel located in a room having a floor and a ceiling, said barrier panel supported at its top and extending vertically toward the floor, the transversely extending unit having one surface thereof resting on the floor and another surface thereof contacting the bottom of said pockets.

Claim 8

An acoustical barrier comprising a plurality of panel assemblies each assembly comprising a laterally extending continuous series of vertically extending pockets, each said pocket formed of a flexible sheet material, sleeve villed with particulate material, said pockets each having a uniform transverse cross section from its top to near to its bottom, said particulate material being a sound-absorbent material and wherein the filled pockets of one of said series of pockets contact and interdigitate with the filled pockets or another of said series of pockets and the front to rear transverse thickness through said barrier does not vary from side to side more than 50 percent of its minimum transverse thickness, and wherein the pocket walls are formed of a reinforced laminate composite sheet material, two components of which are mechanically joined and have different tensile strengths, one component of the said composite sheet material is elastically distended by the weight of filling material in contact therewith and another component of said composite material extends for the vertical length of said pocket and is not distended by the said weight of said filling material, and a transversely extending sound-absorbing unit below the bottom of said pockets of said series, the bottom of said pockets contacting the top of said transversely extending unit, said transversely extending unit comprising a flexible sheet material cover filled with said particulate sound-absorbing material, said barrier panel located in a room having a floor and a ceiling, said barrier panel supported at its top and extending vertically toward the floor, the transversely extending unit having one surface thereof resting on the floor and another surface thereof contacting the bottom of said pockets.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein a laterally extending open topped funnel extends across the top of said pockets of said series, said funnel is open at its bottom to each of said pockets, and is formed of sheet material and the sheet material forming said pockets is continuous with the sheet material forming said funnel.