US2558331A - Awning fixture - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1951 J. M. ALEXANDER ET AL AWNING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 26, 1948 Patented June 26, 1951 OFFICE AWNING FIXTURE James M. Alexander and Clyde V. Basey, Parsons, Kans.

Application January 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,326

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in an awning fixture or the like, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which is extremely simple in construction and convenient in use. One of the primary advantages of our improved fixture resides in the fact that it is formed by stamping, pressing, and bending a single piece of sheet metal or wire to provide all of the essential elements of the fixture without the use of numerous hooks, eyelets and pulleys, thus minimizing the cost of manufacture and increasing its utility.

Another object of our invention is to provide a fixture which is so constructed and arranged as to be self-reinforcing, the stresses and strains applied to the device while in use being so distributed as to avoid undue strain at any one point.

A further object of our invention is to provide an awning bracket, so formed of one piece of metal as to enable a single screw or bolt to serve the dual purpose of mounting the bracket on a main support and maintaining the clamping engagement of an integral head rod clamp element.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, our invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of our invention in which the fixture is formed of sheet metal;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a View in side elevation showing the same fixture with the head rod clamp sprung in open position; t

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the fixture in place on a main support with the awning, head rod and rope in place;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of our invention wherein the fixture is formed with a single piece of wire. This figure also illustrates a screw and clamping plate which may be employed in applying the fixture;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but illustrating the modified fixture shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 11 of Fig. 6 but omitting the awning, head rod and rope.

In the drawings, referring first to Figs. 1 to 4,

5 Claims. (01. 248-273) we have illustrated a fixture which is formed by stamping a strip of sheet metal and bending the same to form a back or base I, the lower portion of which is bent outwardly and back upon itself to respectively form a rope-running loop 2 and a head rod support 3. The transverse edges of the loop 2 are preferably curved or rolled downwardly as at 4 to form a transverse radius as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, to facilitate the running of an awning rope through the loop and to avoid the cuttin of the rope by the otherwise sharp edges of the loop 2. Adjacent the head rod support 3, the end 5 of the strip lies parallel with and embraces the base I and is provided with an aperture 6 which registers with a similar aperture in the base I for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The upper portion of the strip is bent out wardly and down to form a head rod clamping element 1 which overlies the head rod supporting element 3, formed by the lower portion of the strip. The head rod clamping element 1, being resilient, may be sprung inwardly and outwardly from the support 3 to permit the insertion and removal of an awning head rod. The clamping element I is provided with an aperture 8 which is preferably countersunk as illustrated in the drawings, and registers with the opening 6 in the opposite end of the strip whereby a single screw 9 may be passed through all three openings and into a main foundation or support ID, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that the awning head rod l l-, which passes through the usual hem l2, formed in the upper edge of the awning, rests in the supporting element 3 and is firmly held in place by the clamping element], said clamping engagement being maintained by the screw 9 which serves'the additional function of mounting the entire fixture on the main support I0.

The rope l3 of the awning passes through the running loop 2, the rolled outer edges of which protect the rope from injury and facilitate its movement therethrough, thus eliminating the use of pulleys.

In the modified form of our invention, illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, it will be apparent that the basic principles of construction and use are the same as those just described. Here, however, the fixture is formed by bending a single piece of metal wire into the desired shape to form the various elements of the fixture.

Thus, a piece of wire is first bent double to form a back or base which consists of two parallel adjacent the loops 22. The lower or doubled end 25 of the wire, preferably lies between and in the same plane with the back or base members 2|, the space 26 between the legs of the bent end 25, being adapted to receive the retaining screw 29 as will hereinafter appear.

The opposite portion of the wire fixture is bent outwardly and downwardly to form two .-para1lel wires 21 which serve as head rod clamps and overlie the head rod supporting portion 23. A clamping plate 30, having a countersunk opening 28 in its central portion is bent-atits longiclamping engagement with said awning head rod.

2. An awning fixture comprising a bracket formed of one piece of metal and having a relatively fiat main support engaging base, said bracket, adjacent one end of said base, being bent outwardly and upwardly to respectively form a rope-running loop and head rod support, the opposite end of said bracket being bent outwardly and downwardly tooverlie said head rod support in normally spaced relation and form a tudinal extremities to bridge the parallel wires forming the head rod clamp 21, the screwi29 passing through the opening 28 and the space 26 in the opposite end of the wire to serve the dual purpose *of mounting the fixture on the main support'lil and clamping the head rod H of the awningin place.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that similar-advantages flow from the use of either form of our invention herein described. Thus, we have eliminated the necessity of pulleys and have reduced the number of screws orbolts revquiredior an individual fixture to a minimum of one. a The fixture, being composed of a single piece ofsheet metal or wire, the method of bending this material toform the variouselements of the fixture, and the'particular relationship of said elements withrespect to one another, have providedan improved fixture which far surpasses any device of which we are advised, due to its simplicity of construction and effectiveness and ease of installation and use.

It. will be .further noted that dueto the particular formation and relative positions of the various partsv of our improved fixture, the stresses and strains caused by constant pull on the ropes running through the loops 2, are so distributed over the entire fixture as to not only eliminate strains atany one given point, but in addition will tend to increase the clamping action on the head rod.

- From theforegoing, it is believed thatour invention. maybe readily' understood .by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be, made inthe details of construction without departing from the spirit of theinvention as set forth in the following claims.

. What we claim is:

1. An awning fixture comprising a one-piece bracket having, a relatively straight main support engaging base, said bracket, adjacent one end of said base, being bent outwardly and downwardly to form one jaw member of a head rod clamping element, the opposite end of said bracket being bent outwardly and upwardly to respectively form a complementary jaw member for said clamping element and a rope-running loop, said jaw members being normally spaced apart to receive a head rod and means for convergingsaid jaw members and retaining them in u-saidjaw element toward said head rod support and retaining the jaw element and head rod support in clamping engagement with an awning head rod.

3. An awning Qfixture comprising a bracket formed from a single strip of metal and having a relatively-flat main support engaging base, said strip, adjacent one endof said base, being bent outwardly-and back-to -form a rope-running loop, then upwardly parallel-with said base to form a head rod support, the opposite end of said strip being bent outwardly anddownwardly to form the jaw of a resilient clamping element overlying said head rod support in normally spaced relation, and registering openings in said base, in the end forming-said head rod support and in the end forming said clamping element to receive a screw which serves tomount said bracket'and .to draw said clamping jaw element into engagement with an awning head rod held in said head rod support.

4. An awning fixture comprising a bracket formed from a singlepiece of wire and having a relatively straight main support engaging base, said .w-ire, adjacent one .endof said base, being bent outwardly and upwardly to respectively form a rope-running loop and ahead rodsupport, the opposite end ofsaid wire being bent out wardly anddownwardly vto overlie said head rod support in normally spaced relation, and form the jaw of -a clamping element, and means for drawing the jawv of said-clamping element toward said head .rod support in clamping engagement with a head rod.

5. A. fixture as claimed .inclaim 4, wherein said wire is doubled upon itself to form parallel, spaced head rod supports, rope-running loops and head rod clamping elements, a clamping plate adapted to-bridge said parallel head rod clamping. elements, and a V screw adapted to pass through said clamping plate .for. mounting .said fixture and retaining .said clamping elements in engagement with said head rod.

JAMES M; ALEXANDER.

CLYDE V. BASEYJ :REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,338,754 Bonas Jan. 11, 1944

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