Emergency air vent structure

Claim 1

An emergency air vent structure for use in the outside wall of an enclosure, said structure comprising: a frame having an upper horizontal edge and a lower horizontal edge and two vertical side edges for mounting in the outside wall of a building; a panel fitted within said frame generally aligned with the outside wall of the building, said panel engaging said vertical side members when said panel is in a closed position within said frame, said frame including two vertical side members each facing said panel, each vertical side member being located adjacent one of said vertical side edges and having an upper section and a groove in its upper section; hinge means mounted on (the lower edges of) said panel and frame at the lower horizontal edge of said frame for pivoting said panel outwardly and downwardly from said frame; a latch secured to said panel; a rocker bar pivotably mounted adjacent said panel and adapted to engage said latch; means for retaining said rocker bar in engagement with said latch; a solenoid for pivoting said rocker bar against the force of said means for retaining said rocker bar in engagement with said latch and for disengaging said rocker bar from said latch; means including sensor means for actuating the solenoid; and spring means for forcing said panel to pivot about said hinge means, said spring means including a pair of metallic bands having an upper end and a lower end with each metallic band mounted vertically on separate vertical side members, the lower end of each metallic band being secured to its respective vertical side member and the upper end slidably engaging the groove in the upper section of said vertical side member.