US2237564A - Areaway construction - Google Patents

Description

H. T. KEYES AREAWAY CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed July 11, 1938 April "8, 1941.

JIL'HBL I v I l 1 l 1 l l l l l 1 l l l Snventor (Ittornegs Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AREAWAY CONSTRUCTION Hugh T. Keyes, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,556

(01. iz-os 1 Claim.

The present invention relates, in general, to an improved ai'eaway unit for the purpose of admitting and reflecting daylight into a sub-grade window in a basement wall, and particularly to improvements in pre-cast types thereof.

In prior constructions of areaways a cavity has usually been formed in the earth adjacent the sub-grade Window in order to admit air and light thereto, and various constructions of masonry have been used heretofore to maintain the cavity. The masonry heretofore used for this purpose has been heavy and costly, therefore being difficult to install and requiring a separate foundation therefor, and the unit has been subject :to settling relatively to the wall which supported it.

The principal object of this invention, theretone, is to provide a pre-cast concrete areaway unit, preferably of reeniorced concrete construction or some other type thereof, which makes possible standardization of the construction of areawavs and which is of comparatively light weight, yet sturdy, so that it may be easily install-ed, same being purely suspended from the building wall rather than requiring a separate supporting foundation.

Another object of the invention is to provide ,an areaway unit formed of pre-cast reeniorced .masonry which is so shaped that it reflects a -.maximum amount of daylight into a basement through a sub-grade opening in the basement wall, said unit to be, preferably, coated or treated with a reflective material to aid such reflection.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a masonry areaway unit with a sim pie means for adjustabiy attaching the same to a basement wall adjacent a sub-grade opening therein, the unit being designed whereby it is maintained in place by the adjacent soil but yet is supported substantial-1y solely by and from the building for which it is adapted. In this latter respect the unit design also takes into consideration freezing conditions and shape is such that danger of it being displaced by varying conditions of expansion and contraction in the surrounding soil is avoided.

An equally important object herein is to provide a pre-cast areaway unit for sub-grade use with a, novel protective grating which functions not only to provide an upper flooring for said unit but also to provide protection against fracture of the walls forming said unit, said walls being necessarily thin, though strong, the grating thereby forming a combination grating and coping or curbing. Figure 1 is an elevation of a unit attached to a basement wall;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the unit;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the unit and basement wall;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the unit, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grating.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate corresponding parts.

The present unit is formed, preferably, of reeniorced concrete or masonry and comprises a horizontal bottom wall I having a drain 2 therein and being adapted to rest initially in assembly upon temporary supports 3, or upon a corbel, beneath a sub-grade opening 4 in a basement wall 5. As viewed in vertical section the outer wall 6 extends upwardly and obliquely with respect to the wall I and has a vertical run 1 adjacent the upper end thereof. The wall I and the wall portion .1 are comparatively short, as may be seen, in Fig. 3. The side walls 8 diverge outwlardly from the outer Wall 6 and have brackets 9 anchored thereto near the top thereof, same being provided with horizontal slots ID for the adjustable reception of securing elements I I which are embedded in the basement wall 5 adjacent the top of the opening 4. Slots l0 permit assembly of the unit into its proper position with respect to opening 4 after sometimes inaccurate setting into wall 5 of elements ll. Conbel or supports 3 function as a support for the unit only at the time of the latter's installation, the unit thereafter being solely supported by the elements H.

A grating I 2 has a marginal member 13 with 2. depending lip l4 and is placed over and upon the top of the areaway unit so that the lip M depends over and downwardly of the top edge of the unit to protect the same and form a coping or curbing thereat. The grating has depending strap members l 5 secured to the walls 8 by fastening elements I 6.

It will be understood that, during assembly, the unit first rests upon the supports 3 so that the elements I1 can be approximately located for providing means whereby said unit is to be suspended from the wall 5 at the brackets 53. Thereafter, the unit depends in no way upon supports ,3 for support. In other word the securing elements III constitute the sole means for securing the unit to the wall, the unit thereby being supported by pure suspension. In order to permit the unit to be attached to the wall adjacent a sub-grade opening, such as shown at 4, it is necessary to form a cavity in the surrounding earth, and, after the unit is initially sup- {ported and subsequently suspended, as above described, the earth is replaced in contact with the unit, the pressure exerted thereby tending to force the unit against the wall and thereby preventing displacement of same therefrom.

Th-e oblique disposition of the wall 6 and the angular or diverging relationship of the walls 8 dispose the inner surfaces thereof in planes whereby they function to reflect light from an overhead source through the opening 4. The inner surfaces of the walls 'I and 8 are covered with a reflective coating 11.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claim Without departing from the spirit of the invention and such changes are contemplated,

What I claim is:

An areaway unit for use in conjunction with a building wall having a sub-grade window opening and comprising, a pre-cast concrete member having integral side, rear and bottom sections of predetermined thickness and defining a space therebe tween, said side and bottom sections defining 8115 their front edges an opening larger than said subgrade window opening, said front edge of said side sections abutting said building wall at locations spaced laterally of and outside said subgrade window openings, a pair of brackets secured to portions of said side sections above the midpoints of said vertical side sections and coopenable under the force ofvthe weight of said member with anchoring means carried on the building wall laterally of the window opening for removably holding said concrete member in abutting engagement with the outer face of the building Wall beyond the opposite edges of the sub-grade Window opening therein, a section of grating positioned over said horizontal wall in abutting engagement with the building wall and having a marginal flange overlappingly engaging the outer faces of said side and rear sections. and a plurality of holders removably interconnecting said grating section and said side sections for holding the former in place with respect to the latter.

- HUGH T. KEYES.

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