US2318955A - Frameless insect screen - Google Patents

Description

1436 L. T. MILNOR 2,318,955

- FRAMELESS INSECT SCREENV Filed May 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 9 M43. 1.. "r. MILNQR FRAMELESS INSECT SCREEN Filed Mai, 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNFY.

Patented May 11, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j '1 armors FRAMEIESS INSECT SCREEN Leland '1. Milnor. Indian Hill, Ohio, assignmto The Cincinnati Fly Screen Company, Cincinnail, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 15, 1941, Serial No. 393,595

9 Claims. (Cl. 160-328) This invention relates to improvements in window screens of the type generally referred to as frameless, invwhich the screen fabric for a window length is provided with rails at relative Patent N0. 2,194,222, to W. B. Ewing, March 19,

1940, consisting of closely spaced substantially parallel thin gauge strips having an elongated cross section throughout designated as horizontals. bound or tied together in their spaced relation by strands of twisted wires designated as verticals at a major spacing apart.

In a frameless screen, the lower fabric binding rail usually connects with an anchoring rail, detachably fixed to the sill of the window frame, and provided with means for drawing the fabric tautly in position. The ready detachability .of the lower end of the screen from the sill, to swing the same outwardly as a fly, provides convenience for window cleaning and removal of the screen to be rolled up for storage.

In the use of a screen fabric of the type above referred to, the common modes of attaching a wire square mesh screen cloth to a binding rail can not safely be employed without liability of breakage to the vertical strands in making sharp bends .or effecting undue lateral swing from a single point.

'To further relieve the screen fabric of any strain, apt to cause abreak in the strands thereof, or to avoid bending the fabric when one end is'released to swing the same outwardly to clear the windows while cleaning the same, the binding rail is hingedly connected to an anchoring rail which normally is fixed to the window frame. The rail unit, as hingedly connected binding and anchoring rails, is applicable for attachment to either the upper'rail or lower sill of the window frame, so that the means for drawing the fabric tautly over the window opening can be located either at the top or bottom of the window openlng.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a most eilicient and'stable method of applying a binding rail to an end of the screen fabric without liability of injury or breakage of the fabric, and in the provision of a screen fabric binding rail having the characteristics of a hinge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rail unit composed of a pair of longitudinally hingedly joined rails, one for bindingly connecting with one end of a length of screen fabric, and the second for anchoring the same to a sill or rail of a window frame and applicable to either the top or bottom ends of the window frame.

Another object is to provide an improved screen of the frameless type, of simple construction and low manufacturing cost, easily fitted and installed to a window frame by a layman and readily removable from the window frame to be compactly rolled for storage.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in a description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a window frame, fitted with a screen construction in accordance with an illustration and embodiment of the invention when viewed from an interior side.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of a section of the screen, with the improved form of rails for respectively binding the top and bottom ends of the screen fabric.

Figure 31s a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figures 4, 5. 6, and '7, are illustrative in plan and section of the method of application of a clip employed for securing an end of the screen fabric to a binding rail for the upper end of the screen.

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective sectional view of a section of the screen fabric.

Figure 9 is a detailed perspective sectional view of the improved binding rail for one or the lower end of the screen fabric.

Figure 10 is an elevation of a modified form of frameless screen as applied to a window frame, in which a rail unit composed of hingedly connected strips are employed, one for bindingly connecting with one end of the screen fabric, and the second for anchoring to either the top andlor bottom of the window frame.

Figure '11 is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the upper and lower ends of the improved frameless screen.

Figure 12 is a section on line iZ-I2, Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a section similar to Figure 12, with the rail units reversed.

In Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, certain featlfi-es of the present improvement are disclosed as applicable to a commercial type of framelessscreen fixture, wherein the binding rail for the top ofv the screen, the lower anchoring rail and the means employed for applying the pressure to tension the fabric in general are representative of the type as correspondingly employed and shown in the structure of Letters Patent No. 1,961,383, to A. F. Nye et al., June 5, 1934, and selected for disclosing a commercial embodiment to which the present improvements are applicable, although not necessarily limited thereto.

The specific type of screen fabric to which the present improvement is particularly applicable, aside from its utility as a shade and insect screen fabric, lends itself admirably to be cut to meet different opening or window widths without producing a ravel edge as results in trimming wire square mesh screen fabric. The wire square mesh screen fabric necessitates the carrying in stock of an extensive variety of different widths in order to obtain the benefit of selvage edges on account of the exposure of the opposite side edges of the fabric in a frameless type of screen.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 8 illustrates the construction of the shade and insect screen fabric consisting of a plurality of definitely more or less minutely spaced thin gauge flat wires l of elongated or ribbon-like cross section, positioned with their flat sides parallel to each other and disposed at an angle to the plane of the cloth. The wires I, as horizontals, are effectively locked in position by a plurality of pairs of warp or vertical wires 2, 3, the two wires of each pair passing alternately over and under successive horizontals. The wires of each pair are twisted together to form an integrated twist 4 between successive horizontals. The verticals are spaced approximately one-half inch apart in the commercial product.

The screen fabric can be cut lengthwise between the verticals to meet the necessary width measurement for a given size of window opening without alteration to the normal structural ends of the fabric, leaving the opposite ends of the horizontals projecting slightly beyond the end verticals of a series. For a length cut of the fabric, the verticals are severed at the twist between an adjoining pair of horizontals. A sever-- ance intermediate of the twist provides for sufficient interlock of the pair of wires of a vertical to prevent ravel.

Owing to the large degree of spacing of the verticals, a comparatively limited number of verticals are employed, which does not aiford sufficient stability to secure an end of the cloth fabric to a binding rail in the simple manner as for wire square mesh fabric by merely bending or doubling over an end of the fabric to form a fold or overlap for intermesh with a correpondingly folded end or edge of a sheet metal binding rail without additional reinforcement to avoid breakage of the verticals, and to grippingly engage with a series of horizontals. Therefore, for the top of the screen, in order to use a conventional type of binding rail, the method of application of the fabric to the upper rail is in modification to the method employedfor connecting the fabric to a bottom rail. The example of top rail 5, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, comprises a sheet metal strip formed to provide a fiat body portion 6 with a short flange I on its inner edge, and a pair of channel flanges 8, 9, for the outer edge relatively extending from opposite sides of the body. The

lower channel flange 9 constitutes a laterally extended part of the rail folded over or doubled upon itself to correspond with the folded-over end of the screen fabric to effect a longitudinal intermesh of the rail and fabric, and secure the same against release from tension pull on the fabric. The fold of the fabric immediately underlies the body portion serving as a stop, and necessitates endwise sliding of the parts to bring the same into intermesh or interengagement.

Before folding over the margin of the fabric,

. it is reinforced at a determined number of points by sheet metal clips l0, either of a width to interlie between a pair of verticals of the screen fabric, or severaladjoining verticals, and looped over or about a plurality ofthe horizontals as shown in Figures 4 to 'l inclusive. The reinforcing clip I0, when of a dimension to include the spacing between three verticals, 4, of the screen fabric and loop over a plurality of horizontals I, has a sealing margin I! of the clip provided with a central slot l3 therein to straddle the intermediate vertical. After the clip has been applied to enclose an end series of horizontals of the fabric, it is folded or doubled over with the fabric in bending to make an interengaging fold with the fold or flange 9 of the top rail.

In Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of single and double width clips are illustrated, the double width pattern being preferably employed on the opposite ends of the folded edge of the fabric.

The upper binding rail is tautly secured to the top rail of the window frame by a pair of spaced screws, having their heads each traversing an aperture in the body portion of the binding rail and clamped in place by a slide bolt H on the body portion of the binding rail having its forward end forked to engage the shank of the screw beneath the head.

The lower binding rail I5 is of a form for making a hinging connection with the extensible anchoring rail l6, and constitutes a strip of sheet metal notched along one longitudinal edge or margin to provide a plurality of relatively uniform tongues ll, each to lie between an adjoining pair of verticals 4 of the screen fabric, and to engage between an adioining pair of horizontals and bent upon itself to envelope a plurality of horizontals for the end margin of the screen fabric. A second portion l8 of the rail is bent upon itself into channel or U-form with the outer fold edge notched at uniform spacing apart to provide a leaf or element of a hinge for pivotally connecting the rail to a correspondingly formed end of a hinge plate or leaf l9 slidably mounted upon the anchoring rail IS.

The lower rail being of hinge form, thus is composed of a pair of rail sections hingedly united in the form of a piano hinge, with one of the rail sections notched inwardly along one edge at uniform spacing to provide a plurality of tangs for connection and binding one end of the screen fabric, and the second for slidably joining to an anchoring rail IE, or other means for detachably fixing the binding rail to the frame of the window opening. The hinge avoids imparting any sharp bending of the verticals of the screen fabric in rolling up the fabric about the 'anchoring rail extensibly connected with the binding rail, so that injury to the fabric from such source is eliminated, and greater freedom is allowed for more compactly rolling up the screen aboutthe binding andfastening rails as a core.

The anchoring rail and method of slidably connecting the lower binding rail thereto, as well as a means employed carried by the anchoring rail for drawing the screen fabric downwardly to stretch or tension the same, may follow substantially the construction shown in the afore- 2,318,965 3 mentioned Nye at al. patent, although it is unment with a screw flxed to the top rail or bottom derstood that various other constructions may sill of the window frame.

be employed for detachably securing the lower binding rail to the window sill, and for drawing the screen fabric tautly in position.

Insofar as is shown in Figure 1, the anchoring rail it is approximately of L-shape in cross section, with thebase flange 20 bearing on the window sill and secured thereto in the same manner as previously described for securing the top binding rail to the window frame. The cross sectional form of the anchoring rail provides a guide for a pair of opposingly slidable tension plates, 2|, 2!, having a flngerhold at one end. The plates,

' each have an inclined slot 22 therethrough, traversed by a headed pin 23 fixed or riveted to the binding rail, and also traversed "through a vertical slot in the anchoring rail. Upon moving the slide or tension plates 2|, 2|, in a direction toward each other, the binding rail is forced down wardly, tensioning the screen fabric while. in movement in an outward or opposite direction releasing the parts.

It is obvious that the method employed for clinching the bottom bindingrail to the lower end of the fabric may equally serve for the top edge of the screen fabric, and the rail of a structure for detachably mounting the same to the. window frame.

Referring to Figures 10 to ,13inclusive, the

opposite ends of the screen fabric for the top and bottom of the window frame, each connects to a binding rail ii of a construction substantially as shown in Figure 3 for one or both ends of the fabric of coolshade type. i The binding rail i5 is an approximately flat tubular strip formed of sheet metal, with one fold edge notched or re- A rail 21 for a second end of the screen fabric,

as a hinge leaf, is preferably of a forma'tion'in cross section to provide a plane or horizontal body portion 2! having a flange 2! at one longi-, tudinal end extending at an angl therefrom from one side thereof, and doubled over with the fold edge notched for matingly connecti..g with a correspondingly formed edge of the binding strip II to hingedly connect the. same fol-the full length. The body portion 28 of the rail 21 is provided with a flange I0 extending at an angle from the opposite edge and side of the body for edge contact with a rail or sill of the window frame.

Interposing a hinge between the connection of the screen fabric to the binding rail and con-- nection with the window frame, accommodates for any lateral movement imposed in stretching the fabric to the relief of the verticles in a coolshade typeof fabric, which cannot withstand cessed at uniform spacing apart to matingly receive a correspondingly formed edge of a second rail for making a hinged connection of piano hinge type for the full length of the strip or rails, each alternately looping over a. pin or hinge pintle 24.

The opposite longitudinal forward edge of the strip or binding rail is notched, as previously described, to provide uniformly spaced tongues H for claspingly engaging with one end of the screen fabric between the verticals when of a coolshade type of weave as illustrated. The binding rail is also applicable to the standard square mesh type of wire screen fabric, in which instance, however,

the notching to produce the tongues is not employed, as the fabric may be doubled over into a loop reversely corresponding to the loop formation of the binding rail, and the screen fabric and rail joined by endwise sliding the two into intermesh, following a standard practice.

The binding rail correspondingly serves for either of the opposite ends of the fabric, and

therefore is of duplicate construction at both ends. For one end of the fabric, the binding rail may be referred to as constituting a pair of rails hingedly connected, one of a cross sectional form for making a binding connection with the screen fabric, andthe second for attachment to the window frame. The second may be of various forms in cross section, and as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, in which they differ slightly for the respective opposite ends of the fabric. In one instance, the second or fastener rail is represented as of channel form 25, with the first or binding raii l5 hingedly joined with the doubled-over end of the flange 26. The channel rail 25 is provided with a plurality of slide latches ll constructed as previously described, each for engageabnormal bending at a single point without liability of breakage. The hingealso eliminates the bending of the verticles at their point of con nectionwith the binding rails when the screen is detached at one end from the window frame to swing the, sameoutward, or the flexing of the verticles at a binding point when the fabric is subjected to severe wind pressures when under a. taut condition. The screen can also be more compactly rolled up for packaging and storage without injury to the verticles. The body portion is apertured at several determinately s'paced'points for making a detachable connection with a screw 3| or other form of fastening means fixed to the window frame. A,

thumb nut is threaded upon the shank of the screw, and bears against the upper side of the body portion of the rail, and provides a means for depressing the anchoring rail for drawing the screen fabric tautly in place.

The tension of the screen fabric cants the rail 27, and swings upon the thumb nut as a fulcrum, depressing the inner edge of the rail against the surfac of the sill or rail of the window frame, making an insect sealing joint. The cross sectionalstructure of the rails may be variously modified from the selected forms disclosed, and various forms of fasteners may be employed for detachably' securing the same to the window frame and for drawing the screen fabric to span tautly the window opening.

The flange form of rail, however, serves to reinforce the strip, giving it the necessary rigidity to adapt the same to be made of tively light gauge sheet metal stock.

The rails can be easily formed in any stock lengths and readily cut to meet dlflerent window width sizes, with the anchoring rail slightly shorter than the binding rail to fit between the blind stops of the window frame while the binding rail at its opposite ends overlaps the blind stops to bring the opposite margins of the fabric in bearing contact therewith when brought under tension.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1., In a frameless insect screen foran opening such as a window, a screen fabric of the character disclosed and a binding rail for one of the relatively opposite ends of the fabric, notched inwardly along one of its longitudinal edges to provide a plurality of uniform tangs, each for traversing through a mesh of the fabric, and looping about its end margin.

a compara- 2. In a frameless such as a window, acter disclosed and relatively opposite inwardly along one traversing through enveloping its end 3. In a frameless such as a window,

insect screen for an opening a screen fabric of the chara binding rail for one of the ends of the fabric, notched of its longitudinal edges for the mesh of the fabric, and margin.

insect screen for an opening a screen fabric of the character disclosed and a binding rail for one of the relatively opposite. ends of the fabric, having hooks along one of its longitudinal edges for traversing through the mesh of the fabric, and enveloping its end margin.

4.'In a frameless insect screen for an opening such as a window, a screen fabric of the character disclosed arid a sectional binding rail for One of the relatively opposite ends of the fabric, one section along; one of its longitudinal edges having a row of tongues for traversing through the mesh of the fabric to envelope its margin, said sections being hlngedly united.

5. In a frameless insect screen for a window or like opening, a screen disclosed having means at one end thereof for attaching the fabric to a window frame, a sectional binding rail for the relatively opposite end of the fabric, one section along one of its longitudinal edges having hooks for traversing through the mesh of the fabric to envelope its margin, said sections being hingedly united, and an anchoring rail for attachment 'to a window frame connecting with the second section of the binding rail for relative movement and means for bent to provide hooks fabric of the character moving the binding rail relative to the anchor ing rail for tensioning the screen fabric.

6. In a frameless insect screen for an opening such as a window, a screen fabric of the character disclosed, a binding rail for one of the relative opposite ends of the fabric, and a bendable metal clip' for marginally enveloping and reinforcing one end of the f'abric and bendable therewith for attachment to f'said binding rail.

'7. In a frameless insect screen for an opening such as a window, a length of screen fabric and a rail unit for each of th opposite edges of the fabric constituting a fabric binding rail and a fastener rail hingedly united longitudinally, the

, binding rail having a clasping engagement with the end of the fabric for the full width thereof, and the fastener rail having a detachable connection with the window frame.

8. In a frameless ins'ect screen for an opening such as a window, a length of screen fabric, a rail unit for one end of the fabric constituting a fabric binding rail and a second rail hingedly united longitudinally, the fabric binding rail having a clasping engagement with the end of the fabric for the full width thereof, and the second rail adapted for detachable connection with the t window frame.

9. In a frameless screen for an opening such as a window, a length of screen fabric, means for each of the opposite ends of the fabric for securing the same to the framing of the opening, comprising, a pair of strips hingedly united, one for direct connection to the fabric, and the second for attachment to the window framing.

" LELAND '1. MILNOR.

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