TRACK SWITCH

Abstract: A hospital curtain track system utilizing a track switch (25) which permits the use of a single privacy curtain (28) selectively for one of two or more adjacent bed cubicles. One track switch unit (25) between each two bed environment splices directly with the cubicle track (23, 24, 26) and eliminates extra connecting parts including the elimination of one complete track leg, resulting in minimal installation time and expense. The switch utilizes a pull-chains actuated toggle for shifting a horizontally shiftable switch section (37) for aligning a common track (26) with the desired curtain track.

Description: TRACK SWITCH Technical Field This invention relates to privacy curtain track systems and more particularly to a hospital track system utilizing a track switch which permits the use of a single privacy curtain selectively for each of a pair of adjacent bed cubicles. Background Art Hospital privacy curtain systems in the past util- ized a separate track system for each hospital bed with a separate curtain for each track system thus requiring more track and more curtains. Disclosure of Invention The privacy curtain system is adaptable to multiple bed hospital environments " and requires fewer curtains while providing maximum privacy. One curtain may be used for two or more beds. Self splicing cubicle tracks of various lengths and shapes provide easy assembly and versatility in space planning. The track switch unit connects a com- mon track between each two bed environment directly with either of the discrete cubicle tracks which enclose the other sides of each bed and eliminates extra connecting parts, including one complete track leg and resulting in minimal installation time and expense. The switch utilizes a pull-chain actuated toggle for shifting a horizontally shiftable switch section for aligning the common track with the desired discrete cubicle curtain track. The switch and tracks are of two types, one type being a recessed system installable flush with the under- side of and as an integral part of an original ceiling in¬ stallation, and another type being surface mounted instal¬ lable upward against the underside of an existing ceiling. The system can of course be used also in residential and commercial drapery installations. A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel curtain track system which requires only one curtain to provide privacy for a plurality of hospital beds. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel curtain track system as aforesaid which utilizes a manually actuatable track switch to selectively direct a privacy curtain from one track to another. Brief Description of Drawings Figure 1 is an isometric view of the novel ceiling recessed curtain track system according to the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of the curtain track system in the region of the track switch; Figure 3 is an exploded isometric view of the track switch; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the track switch as would be seen when viewed along lines 4-4 of Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the track switch as would be seen when viewed along lines 5-5 of Figure 4. Best Mode for Carrying Out ~ the Invention Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 and 2, there is observed a room, which typically could be a hospital room, having a suspended ceiling 20 consisting of a plurality of the usual T-bar supports, designated gen¬ erally as 21, which support a plurality of ceiling panels 22. In place of one of the T-bars 21 are a pair of curtain tracks 23 and 24 which are flush mounted in the ceiling and function not only as curtain tracks but also as an integral part of the suspended ceiling support grid. The two cur¬ tain tracks 23 and 24 are shown as co-linearly alined,and as they approach each other curve out of alinement and in- ward into engagement with a track switch 25. ' A third cur¬ tain track 26 extends outward from the track switch 25 substantially orthogonally to the running length of the curtain tracks 23 and 24, and also forms part of the ceil¬ ing support grid. Suspended from the track system by car- riers 27 is a curtain 28 which, as seen in Figure 1, forms a cubicle when extended along the tracks .24 and 26 through the switch 25, and which forms a second cubicle, not shown, OM when the curtain is extended along tracks 23 and 26 through the switch 25. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the track switch 25 is seen to have a pair of symmetrical bottom or lower outer sections 29 and 30 of generally C-shape or U-shape, and a generally truncated triangularly shaped section 31 spaced between legs 29A and 30A of the outer sections 29 and 30. As best seen in Figure 3, the switch has a top section 32 having a top closure plate 33 from which de- pend a pair of outer sections 34 and 35 which are congru¬ ent with and matingly overlie the bottom outer sections 29 and 30 respectively, and also has a top triangular sec¬ tion 36 which congruently matingly overlies the bottom triangular section 31. A generally rectangular dual track switch slider 37 is held slidably captive between the top plate 33 and the bottom plates 29C and 30C of the lower outer sections 29 and 30. Secured to the slider 37 are a pair of ball chain pulls 38 and 39, the chain 38- being trained around pulley 40 and extending downward through an aperture in the bottom outer section 29, while the chain 39 is similarly trained around a pulley 41 and extends downward through an aperture in the bottom outer section 30. As best seen in Figure 2, the legs 29B and 30B of the bottom outer sections 29 and 30 form an opening into which the end of the common track 26 fits precisely and accurately, this opening also being shown in Figure 5 with a portion of the end of track 26 disposed therein with the actual tracks 56 on which the wheels of the curtain car¬ riers 27 ride being alined with track portions 29D and 30D formed respectively on the ends of legs -29B and 30B of the bottom outer sections 29 and 30 " . In a similar man¬ ner, a pair of branch track openings to receive the ends of the tracks 23 and 24 are formed between the ends of legs 29A and 30A of the bottom outer sections 29 and 30 and the bottom triangular section 31. Track sections 29E and 31A form continuations of the carrier tracks of cur¬ tain track 23, while track portions 30E and 31B form the track continuations for the track portions of curtain track 24. The switch slider 37 is formed with a pair of curved track sections 42 and 43 which respectively con- nect the common track opening for track 26 with the branch track openings for tracks 23 and 24 as a function of the position of the switch slider 37. As shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, with one end of the switch slider against the end wall of bottom outer section 29, the curved switch slider track section 43 forms a continuous smooth track connecting section between branch track 24 and common track 26. When the switch slider 37 is shifted to the right so that the end disposed within the bottom outer section 30 is stopped by the end wall of section 30, then switch sli- der track section 42 forms a continuous track connection between track 23 and common track 26. Shifting of the switch slider 37 from one switch position to the other is accomplished by pulling downward on the ball chain pulls 38 and 39, downward pull on chain 38 causing the switch to assume the condition shown on Figure 5, whereas pulling downward on ball chain 39 causes the switch slider 37 to move laterally and connect tracks 23 and 26 by means of the curved track section 42. The switch slider 37 remains in stable switch posi- tion because of the over-center toggling .action of a spring toggle formed by an outer cylindrical telescopic section 44 and an inner section 45 with a compression spring 46 held captive within and between the inner and outer tele- scopically engaged toggle cylindrical sections 44 and 45. The free end of outer cylinder 44 is formed in the shape of a semi-circular cylindrical section 47 which seats in pivotal fashion in a semi-circular cylindrical socket 48 molded on the inner surface of leg 29B of bottom outer section 29. Similarly, the free end of toggle inner tele- scopic section 45 is similarly formed with a semi-circular cylindrical end section 49 which fits pivotally smoothly into a semi-circular cylindrical socket 50 formed on the inside of the switch slider 37, as best seen in the show¬ ing of Figure 5. The pivot end 47 is the fixed pivot while the pivot end 49 is the floating pivot, which latter turns within socket 50 and swings over toward the right as the slider 37 moves to the right under the urging of pull chain 39, the pivot end 47 pivoting within the socket 48 but un¬ dergoing no translational or shifting movement. The pull chains 38 and 39 are restrained from la¬ teral movement off of their associated pulleys 40 and 41 by being held captive laterally between the side guide posts 51 which depend from the top plate 33 and the adja¬ cent inner edges of the top outer sections 34 and 35. The switch 25 is also provided with a peripherally extending flange 52 which underlies the adjacent parts of the ceil- ing which have been cut out so that the switch may be up¬ wardly recessed for flush mounting with the ceiling un- dersurface. A switch support plate is positioned above the switch 25 arid overlying a pair of adjacent T-bar sup¬ ports 21, as best seen in Figures 2 and 4, to carry and support the mass of the switch 25 and provide sufficient mechanical support to oppose the downward pull exerted by chains 38 and 39 which actuate the switch mechanism, the support plate being designated as 53, and the switch be¬ ing shown secured thereto in Figure 4 by the screws 54. While the switch may be made in any desired fashion, it is illustrated as being formed of molded plastic to pro¬ vide a minimum weight. - UREAU OMPI

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A curtain track system characterized by a) a curtain track system comprising first and second branch tracks and a common track, b) a track switch adapted for operative coupling to each of said first and second and common tracks, said track switch including shiftable track means for selectively interconnecting said common track to one of said first and second branch tracks, and act- uating means for selectively shifting said shiftable track means to connect said common track as desired to either of said first or second branch tracks. 2. A track switch as described in claim 1 wherein said shiftable track means comprises first and second separate switch track sections, said first switch track section being movable into position to interconnect said first branch track to said common track when said actuating means is actuated in a first way, and said second switch track section being movable into position to interconnect said second branch track to said common track when said actuating means is actuated in a second way. 3. A track switch as described in claims 1 or 2 including a hollow switch body having a separate track-end receiving opening for each of said first and second branch tracks and said common track, said shiftable track means compris¬ ing a slider unit held captive within said hollow switch body. 4. A track switch as described in claim 2 wherein said first and second separate switch track sections are fix- edly intercoupled and movable as a unit. 5. A track switch as described in claim 3 wherein said hollow switch body further includes a flange extending peripherally thereabout and outward from the lower edge "gυ E OMPI of the switch body, said flange being adapted to closely underlie thelower surface of a ceiling into which the switch body may be upwardly recessed. 6. A track switch as described in claim 3 wherein said hollow switch body further includes interior fixed track sections positioned to function as continuations of the external branch and common tracks and provide a smooth track continuation between said external tracks and said shiftabl-e track means first and second track sections. 7. A track switch as described in claim 3 wherein said actuating means for selectively shifting said shiftable track means comprises a resilient toggle coupled at one point to said hollow switch body and coupled at another point to said slider unit. 8. A track switch as described in claim 3 wherein said actuating means for selectively shifting said shiftable track means comprises a resilient toggle coupled at one point to said hollow switch body and coupled at another point to said slider unit, and wherein said hollow switch body further includes interior fixed track sections posi¬ tioned to function as continuations of the external branch and common tracks and provide a smooth track continuation between said external tracks and said shiftable track means first and second track sections. 9. A track system as described in claim 6 wherein each said switch body track-end receiving opening has received therein a track section comprising in combination a) a pair of horizontal longitudinal extending parallel spaced apart tracks, and b) a pair of upstanding sidewalls interconnected with each other at an elevation above the level of said pair of tracks, said switch body track-end receiving opening being formed • BU E TΓ OMPI l W1PO A*, in cross-section with lands and openings to interfit with and close fittingly receive thereinto at least portions of the ends of said track section tracks and sidewalls, with said tracks aligned with the said switch body inter- ior fixed track sections. 10. A track switch and tracks sections as described in claim 9' wherein each said track section further includes a longitudinally extending horizontal flange extending la¬ terally outward from each of said pair of parallel spaced apart tracks, said flanges extending laterally in opposite directions outward away from one another and also engag- . ingly interfitting with lands and recesses formed in said switch body at said switch body track-end receiving open¬ ings. W1P0

Inventors: TODER E
Applicants: TODER E
Application year: 1978
Main classification: E01B25
IPC codes: A47H1, A47H15, E05D15