Patent US3685223A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3685223A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Operable wall panel
Assignee: SHER WALLS Inc
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Filing: 1970-09-28
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Granted: 1972-08-22
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Expires: 1990-09-28
Abstract
Abstract An operable wall panel has a header that is spring biased toward the ceiling, spaced latches along one side that are extendable through slots in the stile to lock to pins in an adjacent panel, and a roller in a ceiling track. The panel is raised and lowered along a rod that extends from the roller and through a horizontal bar below the header. One end of such bar is pivoted to the panel and its other end is linked to a vertical side bar that operates the latches. The horizontal bar is also coupled to the header. The side bar is raised and lowered by a cam in the preferred embodiment. When the side bar is lowered, the header is retracted from the ceiling, the latches are retracted into the panel, and the horizontal bar bottoms against the lower end of the rod to facilitate upward movement of the panel so that its lower end clears the floor. When the side bar is raised, the panel settles to the floor, the header is freed to move against the ceiling, and the latches are extended for latching engagement with an adjacent panel. At the upper end of the panel is a pin that is normally biased into the track to keep the panel from rotating while it is being moved along the track, but which is retractable to permit the panel to be swiveled on the rod so as to facilitate face-to-face stacking of panels at one end of the track when the panels are not in use.
Inventors
- 👤 John C Sherwood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:13
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04B; E04B2/00; E04B2/74; E04B2/82; E04B2/827; E05; E05D; E05D15/00; E05D15/06; E05D15/0604; E05D15/56; E05D15/58; E05D2015/586; E05Y; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/10; E05Y2900/13; E05Y2900/142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
In combination: an upright panel; a track disposed above the panel; roller means on the track; a vertical rod attached to said roller means, said rod extending into the top of said panel; and means in said panel for effecting limited vertical movement thereof on said rod, including means for holding said panel in an upper position wherein the lower end is clear of the floor and for releasing said panel to permit its lower end to set on the floor, including an elongated element pivoted at one end to said panel, an intermediate portion of said element bearing against the lower end of said rod in a lowermost position of the free end of said element to force said panel to its upper position, and being in substantial non-bearing engagement with the lower end of said rod in an uppermost position of the free end of said element to free said panel to set on the floor; and said holding means being operable to move the free end of said element between its lowermost and uppermost positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
In combination: an upright panel; a track disposed above the panel; roller means on the track; a vertical rod attached to said roller means, said rod extending into the top of said panel; and means in said panel for effecting limited vertical movement thereof on said rod, including means for holding said panel in an upper position wherein the lower end is clear of the floor and for releasing said panel to permit its lower end to set on the floor, including an elongated element pivoted at one end to said panel, an intermediate portion of said element bearing against the lower end of said rod in a lowermost position of the free end of said element to force said panel to its upper position, and being in substantial non-bearing engagement with the lower end of said rod in an uppermost position of the free end of said element to free said panel to set on the floor; and said holding means being operable to move the free end of said element between its lowermost and uppermost positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said panel has a rigid framework including an elongated base, a horizontal beam a substantial distance from and coextensive with said base, and respective stiles extending between and secured to the ends of said base and beam; and wherein said elongated element is pivotally mounted on said framework adjacent said beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
112 words
The combination of claim 2, wherein said stiles extend above said beam; a header vertically slidable on the upper ends of said stiles; means normally biasing said header toward engagement with the bottom of said track; and header control means operable by said panel holding and releasing means to retract said header against said biasing means and clear of the bottom of said track, and to release said header to permit said biasing means to move said header against said track, said header control means retracting said header when said base is clear of the floor, and releasing said header to engage the track when said base is lowered to the floor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination of claim 3, wherein said header control means is coupled to and operable with said elongated element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination of claim 1, wherein said holding and releasing means includes a vertical element connected to the free end of said elongated element; and means for operating said vertical element to pivot said elongated element and move its free end between its lowermost and uppermost positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination of claim 3, wherein said vertical element is a bar; and cam means rotatably supported by said panel, a portion of said bar engaged by said cam means and movable thereby to raise and lower said bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
The combination of claim 6, wherein said panel has an elongated base, a horizontal brace spaced vertically from and coextensive with said base, and respective stiles extending between and secured to the ends of said base and brace, said elongated element being located below said brace, said rod slidably extending through said brace and said elongated element, the portion of said rod below said elongated element being threaded; a compression spring on the lower end of said rod; and a nut threaded onto the lower end of said rod for adjustably positioning said spring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
The combination of claim 7, wherein said stiles exTend above said brace; an inverted U-shaped header extending between the upper ends of said stiles, said header being vertically slidable; spring biasing means supported by said framework above said brace for normally biasing said header toward said track; means operable upon downward pivotal movement of said elongated element to pull said header down to a position clear of said track, said header operating means being operable upon upward pivotal movement of said elongated element to permit said biasing means to force said header into engagement with said track.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
The combination of claim 8, including a bar pivoted on said brace with its other end extending above said brace; a vertical rod secured at its upper end to said header and pivotally linked at its lower end to the other end of said bar; and a rod link attached to said elongated element and slidable against said pivoted bar, said rod link being adapted to capture and force said pivoted bar downwardly upon downward pivotal movement of said elongated element, said rod link being moved to free said pivoted bar for upward movement upon upward pivotal movement of said elongated element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
143 words
The combination of claim 9, further including spaced latch elements pivotally mounted to said framework adjacent one stile, said one stile having openings through which said latch elements are extendable, the other stile having openings aligned with the openings in said one stile; spaced pins mounted to said framework transversely of and adjacent to the openings in said other stile, said latch elements being extendable from the openings in said one stile a distance greater than the spacing of said pins from the openings in said other stile, whereby similar latch elements in another panel may enter the openings in said other stile and lockingly engage said pins; and means for pivoting said latch elements to unlatching positions when said elongated element is pivoted to its lowermost position, and to latching positions upon pivotal movement of said elongated element to its uppermost position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination of claim 10, wherein said latch pivoting means includes spaced pairs of pins carried by said vertical bar, the inner end of each latching element being located between the pins of a respective pair.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
96 words
The combination of claim 3, wherein said panel in its raised position is adapted to be swiveled on said rod; a pin supported by said framework and horizontally spaced from said roller; means normally biasing said pin into said track; and manually operable means for retracting said pin clear of said track to permit said panel in its raised position to be swiveled to a desired angle with respect to said track, said elongated bar being movable to its uppermost position to lower said panel in any desired angular position thereof with respect to said track.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 12, further including horizontally spaced bumper elements attached to said framework, said bumper elements being positioned below said track a distance so as to extend above said header in the retracted position thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination of claim 11, including seal strips along the top surface of said header and the face of one of said stiles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination of claim 3, wherein said track has two rails, said roller including a body located between said rails, said rod being secured to said body; wheels on said rails rotatably connected to said body; and rollers between said rails carried by said body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-22 | 1976-02-21 | 1976-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-22 | 1980-02-21 | 1980-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-22 | 1984-02-21 | 1984-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |