Adjustable size intumescent lined wall passthrough slot

Abstract

Two slot forming components overlay through a pre-formed wall opening to form an adjustable wall passthrough slot. At least one slot surface has an intumescent layer of material positioned out of the way of documents passing through the slot. Heat from a fire will expand the intumescent material to fill the slot and prevent the spread of fire. Two inclined top and bottom slot surfaces are positioned in parallel and spaced apart by the desired thickness of the slot. A smoke shield flap of flexible fabric material hangs down within the slot to prevent the passage of smoke through the slot while allowing documents to pivot or push the smoke shield flap aside.

1 . A fire rated wall passthrough slot device for passing mail and paperwork through a wall opening, the device comprising: 
 a series of slot surfaces interconnected peripherally to form a passageway between the slot surfaces in the form of a slot having an opening on each of two opposing ends of the slot, the slot extending through the wall from one side of the wall to the other side of the wall so that the slot acts as a passageway for mail and paperwork passed through the opening in the wall from one side of the wall to the other side of the wall;    at least one layer of intumescent material attached to at least one of the slot surfaces so that the intumescent material does not interfere with the passage of mail and paperwork through the slot under normal environmental conditions and so that, in the event of a fire, the at least one layer of intumescent material is expandable due to the heat of the fire to fill the passageway with expanded intumescent material to close the slot and prevent the spread of the fire through the slot.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a smoke shield flap of flexible material hanging down within the slot from the top slot surface to the bottom slot surface at any desired location in the slot to prevent the passage of smoke through the slot while allowing documents and mail to pivot or push the smoke shield flap aside easily as the documents and mail pass through the slot.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a means to adjust the device to fit walls of various thicknesses.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the means to adjust the device to fit walls of various thicknesses comprises at least two slot forming components interconnectable through a pre-formed wall opening in an adjustable overlapping relationship, each of the slot forming components comprising at least one of the series of slot surfaces, the slot forming components adjustable to extend through any of a number of walls of varying wall thickness from one side of a wall.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein each of the slot forming components further comprises a peripheral frame extending beyond the pre-formed opening in the wall, the peripheral frame attachable to one side of the wall.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a means to adjust the height of the slot to accommodate mail and paperwork of any of a variety of sizes.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the means to adjust the height of the slot to accommodate mail and paperwork of any of a variety of sizes comprises a first slot forming component comprising a first side surface of the slot and an upper surface of the slot inclined downwardly from an outside of the wall to an inside of the wall and a second slot forming component comprising a second side surface of the slot and a bottom surface of the slot inclined downwardly from an outside of the wall to an inside of the wall, the two slot forming components movable in an overlapping interrelationship to adjust the top and the bottom slot surfaces to be positioned in a parallel relationship spaced apart by a desired height of the slot.  
   
   
       8 . An adjustable size wall passthrough slot device for passing mail and paperwork through a wall opening, the device comprising: 
 at least two slot forming components interconnectable through a pre-formed wall opening in an adjustable overlapping relationship, each of the slot forming components comprising at least one of a series of slot surfaces interconnected peripherally to form a passageway between the slot surfaces in the form of a slot having an opening on each of two opposing ends of the slot, the slot extendable through any of a number of walls of varying wall thickness from one side of a wall to another side of the wall so that the slot acts as a passageway for mail and paperwork to be passed through the opening in the wall from one side of the wall to the other side of the wall, a first slot forming component comprising a first side surface of the slot and an upper surface of the slot inclined downwardly from an outside of the wall to an inside of the wall and a second slot forming component comprising a second side surface of the slot and a bottom surface of the slot inclined downwardly from an outside of the wall to an inside of the wall, the two slot forming components movable in an overlapping interrelationship to adjust the top and the bottom slot surfaces to be positioned in a parallel relationship spaced apart by a desired thickness of the slot.    
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  further comprising at least one layer of intumescent material attached to at least one of the slot surfaces so that the intumescent material does not interfere with the passage of mail and paperwork through the slot under normal environmental conditions and so that, in the event of a fire, the at least one layer of intumescent material is expandable due to the heat of the fire to fill the passageway with expanded intumescent material to close the slot and prevent the spread of the fire through the slot.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8  further comprising a smoke shield flap of flexible material hanging down within the slot from the top slot surface to the bottom slot surface at any desired location in the slot to prevent the passage of smoke through the slot while allowing documents and mail to pivot or push the smoke shield flap aside easily as the documents and mail pass through the slot.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 8  wherein each of the slot forming components further comprises a peripheral frame extending beyond the pre-formed opening in the wall, the peripheral frame attachable to one side of the wall.