Hurricane panel

A method for forming a storm panel for covering a building opening formed from a series of one piece, substantially horizontal, substantially identical plate members each having two lateral edges and a main body, said main body being curvilinear between the edges presenting one convex face and one concave face, each edge member being tubular with a longitudinal slot therein, one edge member being larger than the other edge member, said larger edge member having an interior opening sufficiently to slidably receive the tubular smaller edge member, the larger edge member having its longitudinal opening facing downwardly, and the smaller edge member having its opening facing upwardly, comprising the steps of:

• extruding the subject plate member and cutting the same to the length intended for the panel opening covering of the enclosure,
• sequentially securing the like plate members by inserting the one into the other with an orientation such that when extended in the full extended position covering the building opening the plates are alternatively convex and concave facing, and,
• reversing the plates so that the opening on the larger lateral edges extend downwardly, and the opening on the smaller lateral edges extend upwardly when tubularly and slidingly engaging the adjacent plate,
• framing the subject secured plate members between laterally opposing channels at alternate lateral hinge positions thereby defining a channel retained hinge and a free end hinge at the opposite edge thereof,
• forming a rope engaging assembly at opposed ends of a plurality of such plate members, at a mid-portion of the ends,
• passing a rope through a rope guide member which is positioned at a mid point of the ends a plurality of of the plate member so as to be slidable therein,
• fixedly securing the rope to the rope guide member of the lowest plate,
• utilizing the lowest plate member to transmit the lifting effort progressively to each hinged plate member above it;
• and
• providing a means for shortening the rope, said means for shortening being at the top of the panel to thereby lift the panel shutter in a retracted upward position,
• whereby the concave convex relationship of the plate member will inhibit the bending which occurs in flat such plates, and at the same time, saving weight by eliminating the necessity of a footer to raise and pleat the plate members into the retracted position.

A storm panel for covering a building opening comprising, in combination,

• a series of one-piece, substantially horizontal, substantially identical plate members each having two lateral edges and a main body portion,
• a first hinge member formed on one lateral edge of each said plate member,
• a second hinge member on the opposite lateral edge of each plate member,
• said first and second hinge members being formed to matingly and pivotally engage the opposite hinge member on an adjacent such plate member to form a hinge,
• the main body portion of each plate member being joined to each of said lateral hinge edges,
• each of the main body portions of said plate members being curved between the lateral edges thus defining convex and concave faces on opposite sides of the plate and uniformly so to permit an adjacent plate member to nest in a convex concave relationship between opposed plate members,
• each of said plates being oriented with the adjacent plate to present a convex upward plurality of faces when retracted,
• a rope engaging assembly at the bottom plate member of said panel and a rope engaging assembly on the ends of a plurality of said plate members above bottom plate member,
• a rope passing through the rope engaging assemblies and to fixedly and permanently engaging the rope engaging assembly of the bottom plate, and also engaging said rose engaging assemblies of said plates for purposes of stabilizing the panel, plurality of plate members whereby drainage and lifting stability is promoted by the upward orientation of the convex surface of each panel as assisted by the rose and the rope engaging elements.