US2678705A - Sheet metal telephone booth - Google Patents

Description

May 18, 1954 Filed April 7, 1950 '3 Sheets-Sheet l //v VENTORS J. R. HA /NE 5 xv. MA GEO CH May 18, 1954 J. R. HAINES ETAL 2,678,705

SHEET METAL TELEPHONE BOOTH Filed April 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w :1 Kw I l l x w 7 H 1 21 r' TORNEY May 18, 1 54 J. R. HAINES ETAL 2,673,705

SHEET METAL TELEPHONE BOOTH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 7, 1950 /6 IN VEN TORS J. R. HA INES N. H. MA GEOCH By MM ,5 from/Ev Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED sures Electric- Company, Incorporated, New York,- N. Y, a corporation of New York Application April 7, 1950,'Ser ial Noi 1 54.564 2- Claims. tomes-a).

This invention relates to'telephone booths and more particularlptothose of the sheet metal type. In certain localities and-under certain-conditions, metallic telephone booths are preferred over those constructed of wood; However; the durability of the metallic booths and the simplicity of manufacture are important factors.

4 An'object of the invention isto provide a metalli'ctelephone'bootliwhich is simple in structure, readily assembled arid' exceedingly durable.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a metallic telephone booth, the salient featureof which is a substantially ushapedsheet' me'talmember forming. two sides and a" back of the booth and secured" in place between a base and top by extending around interior corner posts which rigidly connect the base and top.

The vertical ends of the sheet metal member are bent inwardly to form pockets for portions of two of the interior corner posts whereby the sheet metal member when drawn about the corner posts will form a stretched skin-like outer shell of the booth.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent Referring now to the drawings, attention is directed to Fig. 3 which discloses a base ID having integral vertical flanges l I adjacent the two sides and back thereof, a flange 12 being bent inwardly to serve as an entrance portion for a tread member 15 (Fig. 2) disposed in place after the booth is assembled. Angle brackets l5 are welded to the base i2 adjacent the cutaway corners it, these brackets being provided with threaded apertures I? to receive mounting screws for the interior corner posts 18. The interior corner posts are of the cross-sectional contour shown in Fig. 2 being substantially W-shaped with a flattened center portion joining two angular portions.

The main body of the booth is composed of a substantially U-shaped sheet metal member of the cross-sectional contour shown in Fig. 3 and of the height desired for the booth. The member 20 completes the sides 2|, the back 22, the front portions 23, as well as the corner portions 2t. Thefront' portions 2t, whichconstitute' the vertical ends of the memberZB; haveportionsz'i bait-inwardly" to form' pockets or substantially iii-shapedends to extend around the adjacent edges eof-the front"corner posts it: This'structure for-ms the only positive connection between the sheet metal member 25 and=the postsi Thetop of' the-booth iscomposed of a box-like member tent within the member Zfl-a'nd rests upon the top ends of the corner posts l8. The top e'nds of the corner posts are provided with integral flanges it with threaded apertures 32 thereirrtc receive mounting screws (not shown) extending through apertures 33' of the top- 30. It will-be-rioted thatthe topian substantially conforms to the interior of the member 20 having vertically extending flanges 35 with inwardly projecting portions 38 provided with threaded apertures 3'! to receive mounting screws (not shown) extending through apertures 38 of a cover plate 39 completing the top structure.

The flange 35 positioned at the front of the booth is formed so that it is positioned between the front members 23 and whereby its outer surface will lie in a plane with the outer surfaces of the members 23. An aperture 40 is centrally disposed in the top 30 to receive the conventional lighting fixture and the box-like top with its cover 39 completes a housing for the necessary wires and electrical connections.

The inner structure of the booth includes panels 12 for the sides and the back positioned between their respective interior corner posts l8 and cutaway at d3 to allow for the leg portions of the posts. The panels are secured in place by vertical members Mi secured by the aid of mounting screws it to the central flattened portions of the posts is. In the present embodiment of the invention, the panels 62 are composed mainly of a suitable composition such as cardboard 46 provided with a sheet metal covering 41.

Channel members 59 are secured to the front corner posts IS, the channel members complete the frame structure for the opening of the booth, one of the channel members serving as a support for the hinge 5i of the door 52. The channel members are secured in place by mounting screws 53 extending into threaded apertures 53 of the adjacent posts [8.

With the present structure, it will be apparent that the metallic telephone booth may be readily assembled by positioning and mounting the back corner posts to the brackets i5 of the base l0, then locating the front corner posts within the pockets of the inwardly bent ends of the sheet 3 metal member 20. The front corner posts may be secured in position forcing the bottom edges of the member 20 within the base I0 so that the flanges II will be positioned externally of the member. The front corner posts are then moved into position and secured to their flanges [5. The U-shaped sheet metal member 20 is tensioned to position by any suitable means such as jacks extending between the vertical corner posts. The top 39 with the cover 39 may be secured in place to the top of the corner posts I8 which will complete the main shell structure of the booth causing the sheet metal member 20 to be secured in place in a stretched condition adding to the rigidity of the booth, completing a structure which may be readily assembled and which will be exceedingly durable and rigid. The tread l4 and the panels 42 may be readily secured in place after which the door may be mounted and after the necessary wiring is completed, the lighting fixture disposed in place, the cover 39 may be mounted on the top 30.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Nu-

posts secured at their lower extremities to said 4 brackets, means secured to the upper extremities of said posts retaining said posts in parallel relationship to each other, a substantially U-shaped flexible sheet metal member having its two vertical edges bent inwardly forming vertically extending pockets, said U-shaped member tensioned about the front and back posts in a manner as to have one of said pockets receive the vertical edge of one of said front posts and the other of said pockets receive an adjacent vertical edge of the other of said front posts, that portion of said u-shaped member extending between the bent vertical edges in untensioned condition having a length less than the length of a line extending from the vertical edge of one of said front posts, about said pair of back posts, and to the adjacent vertical edge of said other front post.

2. A telephone booth as defined in claim 1 wherein said front and back posts terminate short of the top of said U-shaped member, and said means comprises a top unit disposed within said U-shaped member on said front and back posts and secured thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,028,627 Sherron Jan. 21, 1936 2,176,980 Sherron Oct. 24, 1939 2,263,510 Lindsay Nov. 18, 1941 2,313,471 Hallam Mar. 9, 1943 2,328,618 Corso Sept. 7, 1943 2,345,705 Kuntz Apr. 4, 1944 2,351,419 Fuller June 1 1944:

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