Patent ID: 9616260
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A62C,E06B

Claim:
1. A horizontally deployable vapor barrier assembly for use with a structure having a vertically oriented passageway, comprising: A frame mountable to the structure around the passageway, the frame having a header, a footer substantially opposite the header, and opposing side guides extending between the header and footer, wherein the side guides comprise a plurality of interconnected side guide segments extending between the header and footer, and adjacent side guide segments have substantially coplanar support surfaces that define a joint therebetween; A guide rod contained in each side guide, the guide rod extending substantially between the header and the footer; A vapor barrier coupled to the frame and moveable relative to the passageway between a stowed position wherein the vapor barrier substantially does not obstruct the passageway and a deployed position wherein the vapor barrier extends substantially horizontally across the passageway to block passage of fire or vapor through the passageway, the vapor barrier having opposing side edge portions extending between leading and trailing edge portions, each side edge portion having a sleeve portion surrounding a respective guide rod and being captured in the respective side guide, the sleeve portion being configured to slide axially over the guide rod as the vapor barrier moves between the deployed and stowed positions; A substantially rigid leading edge member connected to the leading edge portion of the vapor barrier and having lateral end portions adjacent to the side guides, the leading edge member being positioned at least adjacent to the header when the vapor barrier is in the stowed position, and the leading edge member being positioned at least adjacent to the footer when the vapor barrier is in the deployed position; Support carriages coupled to the leading edge member, each support carriage positioned adjacent to a respective lateral end portion and having a support member positioned to engage and move along the support surfaces of the interconnected segments of the side guide as the vapor barrier moves between the stowed and deployed positions; A plurality of rollers, at least one roller connected to each of the side guides and positioned adjacent to the guide rod, each roller positioned to support a portion of a respective one of the side edge portions of the vapor barrier, wherein the roller rolls on the side edge portion as the sleeve portion slides axially over the guide rod as the vapor barrier moves between the deployed and stowed positions; and A drive system coupled to the vapor barrier, the drive system being activatable to move the vapor barrier between the stowed and deployed positions.