Claims
- 1. A protective covering for protecting at least a portion of an element secured in a structure, said protective covering comprising a fiber reinforced polymeric fabric comprising a lamination of at least first and second laminae, each of which is formed from a plurality of strands, at least one of said strands comprising polymer fibers commingled with reinforcing fibers, said first lamina being arranged angularly to said second lamina and a support apparatus coupled to said structure for supporting said fabric adjacent to said element, said fabric being capable of covering said portion of said element and being flexible enough to be rolled upon itself.
- 2. The protective covering of claim 1, wherein said support apparatus comprises a roller, a first end of said fabric being secured to said roller, said fabric being rolled on said roller when in a fully retracted position and being substantially unrolled from said roller when in a fully extended position.
- 3. The protective covering of claim 2, wherein said fabric is rolled and unrolled from said roller automatically.
- 4. The protective covering of claim 2, wherein said roller comprises a torsion spring so that said fabric is tightly rolled on said roller.
- 5. The protective covering of claim 2, wherein said support apparatus further comprises first and second arms rotatably coupled to said structure on opposing sides of said element, one of said roller and a second end of said fabric being coupled to said first and second arms and the other of said roller and said second end of said fabric being coupled to said structure adjacent to a first end of said element, said first and second arms being in a first position when said fabric is in said fully retracted position, a second position when said fabric is in said fully extended position, and at least one intermediate position when said fabric partially extends over said element.
- 6. The protective covering of claim 5, wherein said fabric is placed under tension when said first and second arms are in a third position rotated past said second position by a predetermined number of degrees.
- 7. The protective covering of claim 6, wherein said support apparatus further comprises a locking element on each of said opposing sides of said element for securing first and second sides of said fabric to said structure.
- 8. The protective covering of claim 7, wherein said locking elements grip said fabric so as to reduce deflection of said fabric toward said element when hit by an object.
- 9. The protective covering of claim 5, wherein said roller is coupled to said first and second arms.
- 10. A combination awning and protective covering for covering and protecting a window mounted in a structure comprising:
- a fabric;
- first and second arms rotatably coupled to the structure on opposing sides of said window;
- a roller coupled to one of said first and second arms and to the structure adjacent to a first end of said window, a first end of said fabric being secured to said roller, said fabric being rolled on said roller when in a fully retracted position and being substantially unrolled from said roller when in a fully extended position, the other end of said fabric being secured to the other of said first and second arms and the structure adjacent to said first end of said window;
- said first and second arms being in a first position with said fabric in said fully retracted position, a second position with said fabric in said fully extended position, and at least one intermediate position as said fabric partially extends over said window; and
- locking elements coupled to said structure on said opposing sides of said window for securing first and second sides of said fabric to said structure so as to prevent substantial deflection of said fabric toward said window when a force is applied to said fabric.
- 11. The combination awning and protective covering of claim 10, wherein said fabric is placed under tension when said first and second arms are in a third position rotated past said second position by a predetermined number of degrees.
- 12. The combination awning and protective covering of claim 10, wherein said fabric comprises a fiber reinforced polymeric fabric.
- 13. The combination awning and protective covering of claim 10, wherein said roller is coupled to said first and second arms.
- 14. A protective covering for protecting at least a portion of an element secured in a structure, said protective covering comprising a fiber reinforced polymeric fabric comprising a lamination of at least first and second laminae, each of which is formed from a plurality of strands, at least one of said strands comprising one of glass fibers, aramid fibers, graphite fibers and silicon fibers, said first lamina being arranged angularly to said second lamina and a support apparatus coupled to said structure for supporting said fabric adjacent to said element, said fabric being capable of covering said portion of said element and being flexible enough to be rolled upon itself.
- 15. A protective covering as set out in claim 14, where said at least one strand further comprises polymer fibers commingled with said one of glass fibers, aramid fibers, graphite fibers and silicon fibers.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/778,942, titled "IMPACT AND PUNCTURE RESISTANT SHUTTERS, " by Margaret M. Woodside et al., filed Jan. 6, 1997, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/920,019 titled "PROTECTIVE COVERINGS," by Margaret M. Woodside et al., filed concurrently herewith, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (41)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (4)
Entry |
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