US2705990A - Ventilated tarpaulin - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1955 R. l.. MILLER 2,705,990

VENTILATED TARPAULIN Filed Sept. 8, 1955 12 15 16 EWRN 1;@I

VENTILATED TARPAULIN Reuben L. Miller, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 8, 1953, Serial No. 378,804

7 Claims. (Cl. 150--52) The present invention relates to tarpaulins for windowsill type room air conditioners and aims to provide certain improvements in such tarpaulins.

The use of window-sill type room air conditioners is increasing at a tremendous rate and little has been done toward protecting the exposed portion of the con ditioners from the ravages of the elements during the seven or eight months of a year when the conditioners are not required for cooling the room air. During such inactive period, however, conditioners are frequently used to exhaust stale room air to the outdoors or take in fresh outdoor air to mix with recirculated room air.

Accordingly, the primary object of my invention is to provide a tarpaulin or cover for the exposed portion of a window-sill air conditioner which will protect such exposed portion, yet permit circulation of air through the conditioner.

A further object is to provide tarpaulins of the character described in sizes to iit the exposed portion of different makes of conditioners; which will provide a substantially weather stripping engagement with the window frame and paneling through which the conditioner extends; which when secured in place cannot become loose or detached under most adverse conditions of weather and which can be quickly applied and removed by an unskilled person.

The foregoing and further objects of my invention not specifically enumerated I accomplish by providing a tarpaulin of generally rectangular box-like form to enclose the exposed portion of the conditioner, said tarpaulin being preferably made from weather-proof, mildew-proof and flame-proof canvas so cut and sewed to prevent sagging of the sides, present a neat appearance in use, and formed in at least one of the sides which overlies a vented wall of the exposed portion of the conditioner with louvers which will exclude bugs, foreign matter, rain, hail and snow from entering the conditioner. The various parts, combinations and construction of my improved tarpaulin will be more readily understood from the detailed description which follows when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l shows a perspective view of a tarpaulin, embodying my invention, in position on the exposed portion of a window-sill type room air conditioner;

Fig. 2 shows a top pln view of an air conditioner with the tarpaulin in place thereon;

Fig. 3 shows a side elevational view of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings I have shown a ventilated tarpaulin embodying my invention applied to a conventional type room air conditioner 11 mounted on a window sill 12 and having a portion 13 extending into the room and an exposed portion 14 extending out of room. Normally, the exposed portion 14 of the conditioner is supported on a window ledge 15 by suitable means such as adjustable screws 16. The exposed portion 14 of the conditioner is conventionally formed with a louvered or grilled side wall 17, which through a manually controlled damper 18 operable by control knob 19 permits exhaust of stale room air to the outdoors and the take-in of fresh outdoor air to mix with recirculated room air.

The tarpaulin 10 may be made in sizes to iit over the exposed portion 14 of the air conditioner and consists of a body member formed of weather-proof, mildewproof and llame-proof canvas having a top portion United States Patent O 2,705,990 Patented Apr. 12, 1955 ICC 20, side portions 21, a front portion 22 and a bottom ap portion 23, all of which are substantially rectangular. Preferably the front portion at its top and bottom edges 24 and 25, respectively, are reenforced to prevent bellying, as, for example, by folding the material at said edge portions back upon itself and stitching the two thicknesses of material together. To hold the tarpaulin securely on the exposed portion 14 of the conditioner, the bottom ap 23 has a strap 26 secured thereto which cooperates with latching rings or buckles 27 carried by straps 28 secured to the sides 21. A second strap 29 is secured to the top and one side of the body adjacent the inner or open end of the body for encircling the body and securing it to the exposed portion of the conditioner, one end of the strap 29 being provided with latching rings or buckles 30. In securing the tarpaulin in place, the strap 29 is positioned behind the screws 16. Preferably, the top 20 and sides 21 of the body are made somewhat longer than the exposed portion 14 of the unit 11 so that when the tarpaulin is mounted over said exposed portion, the inner edges of said body may be pressed against the window frame and paneling to flange outwardly as shown at 31 and held in said relation by the strap 29 and thus provide a weather stripping engagement with said window frame and paneling.

In order that air may be circulated through the unit 11 when the tarpaulin is in place on the exposed portion 14, the side wall of the tarpaulin which overlies the louvered or grilled side wall 17 is formed with louvers or openings a (Fig. 4) formed by cutting away parts of the side wall 21 and pleating or folding the material of said side wall as best shown in Fig. 4 so that the openings a will be sheltered to prevent rain, hail, and the like, from passing through said louvered openings. To further insure such sheltered protection for the openings a, they may be reenforced and covered by Wire mesh screening 31 which may be suitably secured to the back of the side portion 21 by stitching 32, or equivalent means.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that I have provided a ventilated tarpaulin which fulfills the various objects of the invention as set forth in the opening statement of the specification, and, although, I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction of the tarpaulin and the louvered openings therein may be resorted to within the range of mechanical skill without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1, A tarpaulin for the exposed portion of a Windowsill type room air conditioner unit or the like, comprising a body having an open end and bottom, a top, front and side portions adapted to engage over and substantially conform to the exposed portion of such unit, a bottom ap extending from the lower edge of the front portion, cooperating means on the ap and on the side portions for securing said flap in engagement with the bottom of the exposed portion of said unit when the tarpaulin is disposed over said exposed portion of the unit and means carried by the body in proximity to the rear edges of the sides and top portion adapted to encompass the exposed portion of the unit for securing the body onto said unit.

2. A tarpaulin according to claim l, wherein at least one of the side portions is formed with a louver, the opening of which faces downwardly when the tarpaulin is disposed over the exposed portion of the unit.

3. A tarpaulin according to claim l wherein the cooperating means on the flap and on the side portions comprises strap means atxed to one of said parts and strap locking means on the other of said parts.

4. In combination with the exposed portion of a windowsill type room air conditioner unit or the like having louvers in at least one of its exposed sides, of a tarpaulin comprising a substantially rectangular fabric body having an open end, adapted to engagev over and substantially conform to the exposed portion of such unit, said body having a top and enclosing side portions, at least one of the side portions which overlies the louvered side of the unit being formed with a louver in registry with the louver in the unit, the louvered opening in the tarpaulin body facing downwardly.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the louver is formed in a pleat of the material of the tarpaulin.

6. A tarpaulin according to claim 2 wherein the louver is formed in a pleat of the material of the tarpaulin and the opening in the louver is covered by a foraminated material.

7. A tarpaulin for the exposed portion of a windowsill type room air conditioner unit or the like, comprising a substantially rectangular box-like body formed of fabric having an open end adapted to engage over the exposed portion of such unit, said body having a top and side portions of a length somewhat greater than the protruding portion of such unit, the edges at the open end of said body being adapted to ange outwardly into Weatherstripping engagement with the window frame and panelng through which the air conditioner unit projects, and means carried by the body for securing the body onto said unit in said relation.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,330,345 Randolph Feb. 10, 1920 1,409,666 Calise Mar. 14, 1922 1,669,616 Johnson May 15, 1928 1,951,604 Friedlander Mar. 20, 1934 2,128,693 Dowd Aug. 30, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,784 Great Britain Feb. 10, 1905

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