Abstract:
The storm shield relates to a deck or platform adjacent to a structure that can be elevated up to a vertical position that will resist high winds and air-borne debris that occur during severe storm events, particularly hurricanes and tornados. The storm shield will protect structures, including but not limited to residential dwellings garages, commercial, and industrial structures. This storm shield additionally provides a means whereby occupants can enclose the most vulnerable, full side of a structure for extended periods of time when it has to be left vacant.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The storm shield relates to a deck or platform adjacent to a structure that can be elevated up to a vertical position that will resist high winds and air-borne debris that occur during severe storm events, particularly hurricanes and tornados. The storm shield will protect structures, including but not limited to residential dwellings, garages, commercial, and industrial structures. This storm shield additionally provides a means whereby occupants can enclose the most vulnerable, full side of a structure for extended periods of time when it has to be left vacant. Vandalism often occurs to vacant beachfront homes especially when they are in remote areas or in areas where many of the houses or apartments are rented to those young people on spring break. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Storms such as hurricanes and tornados occur in the United States and throughout the world on a regular basis, destroying all types of buildings, vehicles and boats. Wind speed in hurricanes can exceed 180 miles per hour and wind speed in tornadoes can exceed 300 miles per hour. Most structures are not constructed to withstand such wind speeds indicated by the mass destruction on the east and gulf coasts of the United States occurring yearly. It has become increasingly desirable to have a beach house with glass windows and doors facing the ocean where people can enjoy the outstanding view, but ignoring the impending dangers. When storms are predicted there is a mass surge for people to purchase plywood to cover their vulnerable windows and doors. These endeavors are often futile due to the limited areas covered and the flat sheets of plywood are generally just nailed to the existing structure. This procedure damages the exterior and does not give the structural framework required to adequately resist a severe windstorm. Often the plywood can come off during the windstorm, and do additional damage to the structure. Many times the occupants have left the area during that time of year and cannot get back to protect their dwelling due to the mandatory evacuation of the storm affected areas. The effect of winterizing or effectively protecting structures has generally been accomplished by purchasing heavy storm windows and doors, this practice is somewhat effective but it limits the size and amount of glass areas that can be used facing the desirable views in the beachfront areas and does not protect the rest of the structure. 
         [0003]    The storm shield can be used on a variety of different designs of structures but most effectively on one and two story structures with large areas of glass windows and doors on one side. In temperate climates, it is very popular to have multiple sliding doors that open up the entire wall areas. With a great span of glass on single walls of a structure, additional windows on the remaining walls can be minimized. This document does not endeavor to design specific structures, but dwells on the unique capability of having one or more extended decks or platforms that can be elevated to a position to enclose the sidewalls of structures, thereby protecting a side or all sides of a structure. 
         [0004]    Numerous innovations for weather protection have been provided in the prior art described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present application as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to the storm shield, as well a description outlining the difference between the features of the present design and those of the prior art. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,018 of Henry S. Szwartz describes an awning that extends from a wall of a garage over the top of the doorway to the garage. A plurality of storm door sections are hingedly affixed to each other vertically and slidably mounted in guide tracks beneath the awning for positioning in a plane parallel to the wall of the garage. A plurality of screen sections are hingedly affixed to each other horizontally and slidably mounted in additional guide tracks beneath the awning for positioning in a plane parallel to the wall of the garage. 
         [0006]    This invention describes a storm door and screen combination for a garage but does not do with anything that could be used to cover the entire side of a structure and also used as a deck or platform. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,198 of Thomas J. Netti describes a storm unit for installation in an existing window system to provide for greater insulation and weather protection. The unit includes a pair of side rails for replacing the existing inside stops of the window. The rails have a pair of parallel, vertically extended grooves formed therein into which are buckled deformable, transparent panels whereby the panels can be raised and lowered. The top and bottom edge of each panel has a horizontally extended cap secured thereto. When the panels are closed against the window frame, the bottom cap of the upper panel is horizontally aligned with the upper cap of the lower panel. A weather tight seal is provided that is capable of sealing the region between the adjacent faces of the two aligned caps when the panels are placed in a closed position. 
         [0008]    This patent describes a storm unit for existing windows only and does not cover the full side of the structure. It could not be used as a single unit to enclose the structure when it was left vacant. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,238 of Randall M. Fenkell describes a storm shutter for protecting glass windows and doors that employs one or more transparent unbreakable panels having edges effectively increased in thickness to be retained in respective tracks in the shutter frame, the track having openings narrower than the thickened panel edges. To accommodate different coefficients of thermal expansion for the panel and frame, the track cross-sectional area is considerably larger than the thickened panel edge, yet the narrowed track opening retains the thickened edges, even if the panel is bowed by applied forces. Edge thickening may be affected by securing strips of the panel material along the panel edges. The shutter frame is pivotably mounted on a casing, and a retainer is slidable on the casing to lock or release the frame for pivoting relative to the casing. If the panel is movable along its tracks, a motor has a drive shaft fixed to the casing and about which support strips are wound to pull on the panel. The panel is biased away from the drive shaft to move the panel when the support strips are slack. Pivot pins, each having a ring at one end journaled about the drive shaft, are secured in the frame tracks to permit the frame to be selectively pivoted. For protecting a fixed pane door or window, the shutter casing is secured directly to the window or doorframe. 
         [0010]    This patent describes a storm shutter for protecting glass windows and doors but does not cover the full side of the structure. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,666 of Harold Flack II et al. describes a window storm shield and guard assembly installable to fit within the jamb of a building window, or to fit onto the face of the building surrounding the jamb, the assembly, functioning both as a storm barrier to protect the window from strong winds and wind-borne debris, and as a security barrier to deter an intruder from entering the building through the window. The main components of the assembly are a main frame defining a rectangular socket, and a barrier frame that is normally nested in the socket and supports a perforated metal barrier panel that reduces, but does not block the passage of light and the flow of air through the panel. The barrier frame is hinged at its upper end to the corresponding end of the main frame, and at its lower end, the barrier frame is latched internally to the corresponding end of the main frame. In the closed mode of the assembly in which the barrier frame is nested in the main frame and is latched thereto, the window is then fully protected. In the open mode of the assembly in which the barrier frame is unlatched and swung up to assume a horizontal position affording emergency access to the window, the barrier frame is then maintained in this position by a pair of cylindrical gas springs, each spring extending between one side of the barrier frame and the corresponding side of the main frame. 
         [0012]    This patent describes another window shield and guard assembly that protects only specific areas of the structure, but does not protect the entire side of the structure. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,449 of Robert J. Alderman describes a method for providing a roof structure of the type having a plurality of purlins spaced apart from one another in a parallel arrangement is disclosed. A first section of the roof structure, which includes purlins, a support sheet, insulation material, and hard roofing material, is completed. A carriage is then moved in a first direction along the length of the purlins and away from the first section of the roof structure to define a gap between the completed first section and the carriage. The movement of the carriage pays out a support sheet from the carriage so that the support sheet depends from adjacent purlins in the gap. A wind barrier, which is in a generally horizontal position to prevent wind from blowing vertically through the gap, is provided, thereby hindering wind disturbance of the support sheet. 
         [0014]    This patent describes wind protection for paying out an insulation support sheet on a roof structure. It could not be used for a deck or platform and does not elevate to a vertical position to protect the side of the structure, and cannot be mounted vertically along a wall. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,975 of J. Parr Wiegel describes one system of mobile home (or other structure) wind protection includes a channel below ground level around the structure, the channel including a lid around its perimeter adapted to open and close. Tie-down anchor bolts are spaced along the channel around the structure. Tie-down cables extend from the roof of the structure into the channel, each cable being removably connected to one of the anchor bolts. A storm shield secured to the tie-down cables likewise extends from the roof of the structure and into the channel below ground level. Another system includes a storage channel below ground level on one side of the structure, with ground anchors spaced along it supporting a ratcheted cable windup mechanism below ground level, all covered by a housing, and an anchor channel below ground level along the opposite side of the structure, with ground anchors spaced along it. A tie-down cable extends from each of the ground anchors in the storage channel, up and over the structure to a corresponding one of the ground anchors in the anchor channel. A storm shield secured to the tie-down cables likewise extends from below ground in the storage channel to below ground in the anchor channel. 
         [0016]    This patent describes a hurricane protection for mobile homes and a small building that consists of a cable tie down system that anchors into a steel channel on either side of a mobile home below ground level. This system would be cumbersome to set up, use a lot of room and be in the way most of the time. Although it uses cables, it does not provide a useable deck or platform that rises up to a vertical position to protect and enclose the full side of the structure. 
         [0017]    Patent Publication No. US 2007/0220917 A1 of Ronald Scott Bonds describes a storm shield that guides air flow and debris contained therein over and around the structures that it is shielding and in so doing takes the force of the air flow and channels it to the ground by the use of ballistic straps and cloth that covers trusses that are connected to concrete and steel foundations. The storm shield also counteracts lift created by high winds as they flow over the structure, and holds the structure down in place. 
         [0018]    This patent describes an effective storm shelter that fully protects structures but permanently encumbers a great deal of area around the structure with framework and makes this area unusable and unsightly. 
         [0019]    None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present design. The storm shield achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing readily available materials. 
         [0020]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the storm shield in detail it is to be understood that the storm shield is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement, of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The storm shield is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present design. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present application. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The principal advantage of the storm shield is having a deck or platform adjacent to a structure that can be elevated up to a vertical position that will resists high winds and air-borne debris. 
         [0022]    Another advantage of the storm shield is having a deck or platform adjacent to a structure that can be elevated up to a position that will enclose a structure when it is vacant. 
         [0023]    Another advantage is to create a useable multipurpose deck or platform adjacent to the structure or house. 
         [0024]    Another advantage is to create a useable multipurpose deck or platform that will function on a ground level structure as well as a structure that is elevated on pilings. 
         [0025]    And still another advantage is to create a deck or platform that can be raised by the means of two or more conventional cable winches. 
         [0026]    A further advantage is being able to have the deck or platform locked in the upright position by the means of two or more safety locking pins. 
         [0027]    And yet a further advantage of this storm shield is to add a new and unique addition to structures constructed in areas where there is a common occurrence of storms with high winds. 
         [0028]    These, together with other advantages of the storm shield, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the design, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the storm shield, its operating advantages and the specific advantages attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of this application. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the storm shield in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the storm shield that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0029]    The storm shield herein disclosed consists of a deck or platform extending outwardly from the side of a structure equal in length to the structure with a width equal to the height of the sidewall of the structure. An extension attached to the sides and front of the deck or platform will overlap the sides and top of the structure and also provide a short retaining wall around the perimeter when the storm shield in the lowered position. By over-lapping a major portion of the sides and top of the structure the wind is prevented from getting behind the structure giving it stability and additionally providing locations where safety-locking pins may be inserted into the structure relieving the tension on the lifting cables. Stairs with a platform can be located at various locations around the sides or front of the deck or platform with an opening cut in the extension for access. When the storm shield is lowered, it will rest on pilings or footings in the ground. The storm shield will work equally as well with structures that are elevated on pilings which is common in the coastal regions. 
         [0030]    Two or more winch and cable systems are used to elevate the storm shield to the vertical position. The preferred embodiment will have the winches anchored to footings on the ground with the cables passing over guide rollers in the deck of platform to extend to the pulleys in the upper section of the structure and then back to attachments on the deck or platform surface. Conventional stop balls will be attached to the cables at the appropriate locations so that when the storm shields are raised to the proper vertical position the winch motors will be turned off automatically. For safety sake one of the cable and winch systems will be adequate to raise or lower the storm shield. The winch motors will be wired so that they will be activated at the same time. 
         [0031]    An alternate embodiment of the winch and cable system will have the winch mounted on the back side of the deck or platform with the cable extending up to the pulley in the upper section of the structure and back to the attachment on the surface of the deck or platform. 
         [0032]    A stanchion in a footing on either side of the deck or platform adjacent to the structure provides the pivot where the storm shield rotates by the means of an axel attached to the deck or platform. The storm shield can be manufactured from a wide variety of materials depending upon the weight and size requirements. A wood deck or platform with wood floor joists might be the most economical but a steel or aluminum deck or platform might offer a greater protection. 
         [0033]    With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the storm shield, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present design. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the storm shield. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the design to the exact construction and operation shown and described accordingly. All suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the storm shield and other additional features of the application will be described hereinafter, which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0034]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the storm shield and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. 
           [0035]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of the storm shield attached to the side of a structure in the lowered position to be used as a deck or platform. 
           [0036]      FIG. 2  depicts a side elevation of the storm shield attached to the side of a structure in the lowered position to be used as a deck or platform. 
           [0037]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the storm shield attached to the side of a structure in the partially elevated position indicating the winch and cable system. 
           [0038]      FIG. 4  depicts a side elevation of the storm shield attached to the side of a structure in the partially elevated position indicating the winch and cable system. 
           [0039]      FIG. 5  depicts a perspective view of the storm shield in the elevated position covering the full side of the structure. 
           [0040]      FIG. 6  depicts a side elevation of the storm shield in the elevated position covering the full side of the structure. 
           [0041]      FIG. 7  depicts a side elevation schematic illustrating the preferred embodiment of the winch and cable system. 
           [0042]      FIG. 8  depicts a side elevation schematic of an alternate embodiment of the winch and cable system. 
       
    
    
       [0043]    For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0044]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present storm shield  10 A and  10 B are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the design that may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as basic for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present storm shield  10 A and  10 B in virtually any appropriately designed structure. 
         [0045]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the storm shield  10 A are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1  a perspective view of the storm shield  10 A attached to the windward side  11  of a structure  12  in the lowered position to be used as a deck or platform  14 . An extension  16  attached to the sides  18  and front  20  of the deck or platform  14  will over lap the sides and top of the structure  12  and also provide a short retaining wall around the perimeter when the storm shield  10 A is in the lowered position. A stanchion  22  in a footing  24  on either side of the deck or platform  14  adjacent to the structure  12  provides the pivot where the storm shield  10 A rotates about X-Axis by the means of an axel  26  attached to the deck or platform  14 . When the storm shield is raised to the vertical position covering the exposed windows and doors  28 , orifices  30  in the extensions  16  align with orifices  32  in the structure  12  as a means to insert safety locking pins  34 . Stairs  36  with a platform  38  can be located at various locations around the sides or front of the deck or platform  14  with an opening  40  cut in the extension  16  for access. When the storm shield  10 A is lowered, it will rest on pilings  42  or footings  24  in the ground  44 . 
         [0046]    Two or more of the preferred embodiment of the winch and cable systems  46 A are used to elevate the storm shield  10 A to the vertical position. The preferred embodiment will have the winches  48  anchored to footings  24  on the ground  44 . Cables sections  50  from winches  48  pass over guide rollers  52  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) in the deck of platform  14  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ), to extend to the pulleys  54  in the upper sections  56  of the structure  12  and then the cable sections  58  go back to cable attachments  60  (as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ), on the deck or platform  14  surface. Conventional stop balls  62  illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8  will be attached to the cables sections  58  at the appropriate locations so that when the storm shield  10 A is raised to the proper vertical position the winch  48  motors will be turned off automatically. 
         [0047]      FIG. 2  depicts a side elevation of the storm shield  10 A attached to the side of a structure  12  in the lowered position to be used as a deck or platform  14 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the storm shield  10 A attached to the side of a structure  12  in the partially elevated position illustrating the winch and cable system  46 . With the storm shield  10 A partially elevated the floor joists  64  are exposed illustrating the increased structural strength given to guard against the severe wind forces, which may be encountered. The stair platform  38  and stairs  36  remain on the ground  44  when the storm shield  10 A is in the vertical position. It should be understood that the stairs could also be stored in various ways, such as the stairs could be foldable, and thereby stored on the external face of the storm shield. 
         [0049]      FIG. 4  depicts a side elevation of the storm shield  10 A attached to the side of a structure  12  in the partially elevated position indicating the winch and cable system  46 A. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  depicts a perspective view of the storm shield  10 A in the elevated position covering the full side of the structure  12 . The storm shield  10 A has been illustrated being constructed of a plywood deck or platform  14  and wood floor joists  64  but it can be manufactured from a wide variety of materials depending upon the weight and size requirements. A wood deck or platform  14  with wood floor joists  64  might be the most economical but a steel or aluminum deck or platform might offer a greater protection from severe winds. 
         [0051]      FIG. 6  depicts a side elevation of the storm shield  10 A in the elevated position covering the full side of the structure  12 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 7  depicts a side elevation schematic illustrating the preferred embodiment of the winch and cable system  46 A elevating the storm shield  10 A. 
         [0053]      FIG. 8  depicts a side elevation schematic illustrating the alternate embodiment of the winch and cable system  46 B elevating the storm shield  10 B. 
         [0054]    The storm shield  10 A and  10 B shown in the drawings and described in detail herein disclose arrangements of elements of particular construction and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure and method of operation of the present design. It is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration and other arrangements thereof, other than those illustrated and described may be employed for providing a storm shield  10 A and  10 B in accordance with the spirit of this application, and such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this application as broadly defined in the appended claims. 
         [0055]    Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the storm shield of this application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the design in any way.