Window blast shielding system and methods thereof

Abstract

A window blast shield for mounting to a window frame including a top retaining body, a bottom retaining body, a safety drapery having a strength to retard debris propelled by blast forces, the safety drapery operatively coupled with the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body, at least one safety cord disposed within a channel within at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body, wherein applying blast forces to the window blast shield the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body fails and the at least one safety cord does not fail, and wherein the at least one safety cord supports the safety drapery allowing the safety drapery to billow and retard debris propelled by blast forces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A window blast shield for mounting to a window frame, comprising:
 a top retaining body operatively coupled with the window frame's top region;   a bottom retaining body operatively coupled with the window frame's bottom region;   a safety drapery having a strength to retard debris propelled by blast forces, the safety drapery operatively coupled with the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body;   at least one safety cord disposed within a channel within at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body, the safety cord having a greater length than the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body;   wherein applying blast forces to the window blast shield the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body fails and the at least one safety cord does not fail; and   wherein the at least one safety cord supports the safety drapery allowing the safety drapery to billow and retard debris propelled by blast forces.   
     
     
         2 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vertical support cable operatively coupled with at least one terminal support member, wherein the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body are slidably coupled with the vertical support cable.   
     
     
         3 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vertical support cable operatively coupled with at least one terminal support member, wherein the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body are detachably coupled with the vertical support cable.   
     
     
         4 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , wherein the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body comprise a substantially frangible material such that both the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body fail when blast forces are applied to the window blast shield;
 wherein at least one safety cord is disposed in a channel in the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body, the at least one safety cord comprising a substantially infrangible material such that the at least one safety cord does not fail when blast forces are applied to the window blast shield and the at least one safety cord supports the safety drapery, allowing the safety drapery to billow and retard propelled debris.   
     
     
         5 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one safety cord is disposed within a channel within the top retaining body, the safety cord having a greater length than the top retaining body;   wherein when blast forces are applied to the window blast shield the top retaining body fails and the at least one safety cord does not fail; and   wherein the at least one safety cord supports the safety drapery allowing the safety drapery to billow and retard debris propelled by the blast force.   
     
     
         6 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one safety cord is disposed within a channel within the bottom retaining body, the safety cord having a greater length than the bottom retaining body;   wherein when blast forces are applied to the window blast shield the bottom retaining body fails and the at least one safety cord does not fail; and   wherein the at least one safety cord supports the safety drapery allowing the safety drapery to billow and retard debris propelled by blast forces.   
     
     
         7 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , wherein the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body further comprise:
 a male idler plug;   a female idler plug coupled with the male idler plug;   an idler spring housed between the male idler plug and the female idler plug;   a roller having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled with the female idler plug;   a tension plug coupled with the second end of the roller; and   a tensioner base coupled with the tension plug.   
     
     
         8 . The window blast shield of  claim 7 , wherein the tension plug and the tensioner base further comprise:
 corresponding gearing wherein the gearing of the tension plug and the gearing of the tensioner base are releasably coupled, wherein at least a portion of the gearing of the tension plug and at least a portion of the gearing of the tensioner base fail when blast forces are applied to the window blast shield causing the tension plug to decouple with the tensioner base and the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body to fail.   
     
     
         9 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one safety cord is shielded from light by at least a portion of at least one of the safety drapery, the top retaining body, and the bottom retaining body. 
     
     
         10 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one safety cord comprises a steel cord. 
     
     
         11 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top cord affixer coupled to the top mount for securing the at least one safety cord.   
     
     
         12 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a mounting member coupled with the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body and the at least one safety cord; and   a tamper-resistant member removably affixed to the at least one safety cord.   
     
     
         13 . The window blast shield of  claim 12 , wherein the top mounting member further comprises:
 a mounting plate releasably coupled to the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body;   wherein the mounting plate comprises an interior mounting plate, a mounting insert, and an exterior mounting plate having a recess for accepting the mounting insert, wherein the at least one safety cord is wedged between the interior mounting plate and the mounting insert.   
     
     
         14 . The window blast shield of  claim 13 , wherein the interior mounting plate and the mounting insert are attached forming an interior mounting member, wherein the interior mounting member is releasably attached to the exterior mounting plate; and
 wherein the inner mounting plate and inner mounting insert are releasably coupled to the external mounting plate by being inserted into the recess in the external mounting plate and held in place by a spring.   
     
     
         15 . The window blast shield of  claim 13 , wherein the tamper-resistant member comprises at least one of a special head screw and screw driver assembly, a removable pin and pin assembly, a key and lock assembly, a hinged latch assembly, and a spring loaded sliding latch assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a polyester film secured to a window in blast proximity to the window blast shield.   
     
     
         17 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body is a curtain rod. 
     
     
         18 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second safety drapery for retarding propelled debris, the second safety drapery, operatively coupled with the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body.   
     
     
         19 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second safety drapery for retarding propelled debris, the second safety drapery being operatively coupled with at least one of a second top retaining body and a second bottom retaining body.   
     
     
         20 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the safety drapery is furled about the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body, and wherein the at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body are round and rotatable. 
     
     
         21 . The window blast shield of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a middle retaining body disposed between the top mounting member and the bottom mounting member being slidably coupled to at least one vertical support cable coupled with at least one terminal member and the safety drapery, wherein the middle retaining body comprises substantially frangible material such the middle retaining body fails when a blast forces are applied to the window blast shield.   
     
     
         22 . The window blast shield of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one terminal member is affixed to at least one of a ceiling and a floor. 
     
     
         23 . The window blast shield of  claim 21  wherein the at least one vertical support cable comprises a loop caused by a crimp and a pin passed through the loop coupling the at least one vertical support cable to the at least one terminal member. 
     
     
         24 . A window blast shield for mounting to a window frame, comprising:
 a top retaining body operatively coupled with the window frame's top portion;   a bottom retaining body operatively coupled with the window frame's bottom portion;   a safety drapery having a strength to retard debris propelled by blast forces, the safety drapery operatively coupled with at least one of the top retaining body and the bottom retaining body, the safety drapery being folded forming one or more pockets attached with a releasable coupling member; and   at least one safety cord disposed within the one or more pockets of the safety drapery, wherein the releasable coupling member decouples when impacted by blast forces, allowing the one or more pockets to billow and retard propelled debris.   
     
     
         25 . The window blast shield of  claim 24 , wherein the releasable coupling member comprises at least one of a stitch or a staple. 
     
     
         26 . The window blast shield of  claim 24 , wherein the releasable coupling member comprises a clamp for clamping the safety drapery in a folded position forming the one or more pockets, the clamp comprising a frame having apertures for receiving a screw to couple the clamp together to hold the one or more pockets in a closed position, the clamp being adapted to fail when the safety drapery is contacted by blast forces.