US3885362A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular noise abatement enclosure and joint seal
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-04-19
•
Granted: 1975-05-27
•
Expires: 1993-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A free-standing modular space enclosure for achieving desired levels of noise abatement, particularly in manufacturing facilities, by acoustically isolating separate units of noiseproducing industrial machinery and apparatus, while at the same time providing ready access to any part or portion of the isolated equipment or machinery by removal of any adjacent detachable panel of the noise enclosure. Such access is desirable and necessary for repair, maintenance, regulation and inspection of the machinery or apparatus so isolated. The enclosure comprises a four-sided structure, the walls of which are assembled from a plurality of modular panels which are acoustically isolated from each other and from the skeletal framework although detachably sealed at their common joints or areas of engagement with each other. In addition to the side walls, the enclosure is provided with a roof also assembled from a plurality of modular panels and acoustically isolated from the wall panels and from the skeletal framework although engaged therewith. Any of the standard modular panels may be replaced, if desired, with special panels having specified features or characteristics such as, doors, windows, feed-through systems, service boxes, and the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon J Pollock
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:28
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04H; E04H1/00; E04H1/12; E04H1/1205; E04H1/1238; E04B; E04B1/00; E04B1/62; E04B1/74; E04B1/82; E04B1/8218; E04B2/00; E04B2/74; E04B2/7407; E04B2/7409; E04B2001/8254; E04B1/84; E04B2001/8423; E04B2001/8442
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
In a modular noise abatement enclosure, the combination of a free-standing open skeletal frame having a ground-engaging channel member with upstanding spaced legs, an upper support rail, posts interconnecting said channel member and support rail in coextensive vertically spaced relationship, height-adjusting means provided on said posts for positioning said upper support rail in a horizontal plane independently of the positional plane of said ground-engaging channel member, and a plurality of side wall panels detachably mounted in co-planar abutting relationship on each side of said frame to form a continuous enclosure, each of said panels having a sound-insulating interior face, each of said side wall panels having a lower edge slidably engaging the legs of said channel member in sealing engagement and having an upper edge detachably engaging said rail and suspended thereby to provide the sole vertical support for said panel and maintain said lower edge out of direct downward load-bearing engagement with said channel member, whereby any one of said panels can be bodily displaced and detached from said frame by relative upward movement thereof to provide interior access to a selected portion of the enclosure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
In a modular noise abatement enclosure, the combination of a free-standing open skeletal frame having a ground-engaging channel member with upstanding spaced legs, an upper support rail, posts interconnecting said channel member and support rail in coextensive vertically spaced relationship, height-adjusting means provided on said posts for positioning said upper support rail in a horizontal plane independently of the positional plane of said ground-engaging channel member, and a plurality of side wall panels detachably mounted in co-planar abutting relationship on each side of said frame to form a continuous enclosure, each of said panels having a sound-insulating interior face, each of said side wall panels having a lower edge slidably engaging the legs of said channel member in sealing engagement and having an upper edge detachably engaging said rail and suspended thereby to provide the sole vertical support for said panel and maintain said lower edge out of direct downward load-bearing engagement with said channel member, whereby any one of said panels can be bodily displaced and detached from said frame by relative upward movement thereof to provide interior access to a selected portion of the enclosure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, including a compressible seal affixed to a vertically-extending edge of each panel for sealing abutment with a vertically-extending edge of an adjacent panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said vertically-extending edge of each panel comprises a flange having an inwardly directed offset bend terminating in a reverse open fold defining a seal-retaining recess, and said compressible seal is coextensive with said flange and has an edge portion retained in said recess, said seal extending outwardly and reversely from said recess around the exterior of said fold on opposite sides thereof to provide a substantially U-shaped seal contour having one leg of the U engageable with said vertically extending edge of an adjacent panel, and retainer means carried by each panel for securing the opposite leg of the U against displacement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
93 words
A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said retainer means is a resilient clip having an inwardly-directed hook at one edge thereof, said hook being yieldably displaceable to pass between said opposite leg of the U and an edge portion of each said panel to extend into locking relationship with said offset bend portion of said flange, and said clip having another portion interposed in sealing engagement between said opposite leg of the U and a portion of each said panel, whereby said clip locks said seal against displacement from said flange.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said sound-insulating face is a noise-insulating mat on the interior of said side wall panels, and means are provided on said resilient clip for retaining said mat on said panels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said upper support rail has an upwardly directed leg portion, and said upper edge of said side wall panels is provided with means for engaging said leg portion in response to relative downward movement of the panel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said channel member has a pair of spaced upwardly directed legs, each of said legs having outwardly flared terminal portions to provide guideways, and said lower edge of said side wall panels is provided with spaced portions defining guide surfaces slidably engageable with said spaced channel legs in response to relative downward movement of the panel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said upper support rail has an upwardly directed leg portion, and said upper edge of said side wall panels is provided with a downwardly directed lip for engaging said leg portion in response to said downward movement of the panel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, including roof wall panels carried by said frame for enclosing the roof side thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said upper support rail is provided with a ledge portion and underlying opposed edges of said roof wall panels in noise-sealing relationship thereto, and said roof wall panels are disposed in abutting co-planar relationship.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A combination as defined in claim 10, including a compressible seal affixed to an edge of each roof wall panel for sealing engagement with the abutting edge of an adjacent roof wall panel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said height adjusting means includes a threaded stud connected to said channel member and projecting upwardly into said post, and a post support element underlying said post and threadedly engaging said stud for vertical displacement thereon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said side wall panels is provided with means for access therethrough without bodily detachment thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for access is an opening in said side wall panel and a closure movably connected to said side wall panel for sealing engagement with said opening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
A combination as defined in claim 14, wherein the bottom portion of said closure is provided with a movably mounted spring-loaded ground-engaging seal which is normally urged out of ground-engaging position in response to opening movement of said closure and is yieldably restored to ground-engaging position in response to closed position of said closure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for access is an opening in said side wall panel and a utility service box connected to said side wall panel in overlying relationship to said opening and in resiliently yieldable sealing engagement with said opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
A combination as defined in claim 16, wherein said utility service box comprises a separable housing defining a hollow receptacle and having openings provided in said housing for traversal of utility lines therethrough, and a compressible material retained in said receptacle and normally sealing the openings therein, said material being yieldably displaceable into contour sealing engagement with said utility lines in response to securement of the separable housing portions to each other.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, including a rigid perforated backing plate retained on the interior of said side wall panels in overlying relationship to the exposed surfaCe of said sound-insulating face.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
103 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a second support rail above said upper support rail, said posts interconnecting said channel member and said upper and second support rails in vertically spaced relationship, said upper support rail providing an upwardly directed second channel member, and a second plurality of side wall panels detachably mounted in coplanar relationship on each side of said frame above said first-named panels, said second side wall panels having a lower edge slidably engaging said second channel member in sealing engagement and having an upper edge removably engaging said second support rail and suspended thereby.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
129 words
A combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said upper support rail has an upwardly directed leg portion, said upper edge of said first-named side wall panels is provided with means for engaging said leg portion in response to relative downward movement of the panel, said second channel member being disposed above said leg portion, said second support rail having a second upwardly directed leg portion, said second side wall panels having a lower edge slidably engaging said second channel member is sealing engagement and having an upper edge provided with means for removably engaging said second upwardly directed leg portion, whereby any one of said second side wall panels can be bodily detached from said frame by relative upward movement thereof independently of said first-named side wall panels.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, including a second plurality of side wall panels spaced inwardly from said first-named side wall panels and disposed in parallel opposed relationship thereto, said second side wall panels having a lower edge slidably engaging said channel member in sealing engagement therewith and having an upper edge removably engaging said rail and suspended thereby.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as defined in claim 21, including a compressible seal affixed to a vertically extending edge of each of said second panels for sealing engagement with an abutting edge of an adjacent panel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A combination as defined in claim 22, including a shelf support member mounted between adjacent edges of said first-named and second side wall panels and having portions for retaining shelf brackets.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A combination as defined in claim 21, including a gypsum panel supported by and between said first-named and second side wall panels, and parallel thereto.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said support rail is affixed to the ceiling of a fixed building structure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |