US2237831A - Building structure and air circulation therefor - Google Patents

Description

A ril 8, 1941. c, E JONES 2,237,831

BUILDING STRUCTURE AND AIR CIRCULATION THEREFOR Filed Oct. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CLARENCE ERROLL JONES April 8, 1941. C E. JONES BUILDING STRUCTURE AND AIR CIHCULATION THEREFOR Filed Oct. 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H 541K F VENTOR CE [ERROLL JONES BY wflyvw ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 8, 1941 BUILDING STRU CIBCULATI 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a building structure and more particularly to an arrangement oi a building structure which provides a novel air circulating system.

This applicationzis a continuation in part of CTUREANDAIR N THEREFOR Clarence Erroll Jones, Euclid, Ohio Application October 24, 1938, Serial No. 236,663

my copending application Serial No. 35,975, filed August 13, 1935.

One object of the invention is to provide air outlet means extending along substantially the entire length of certain walls of a room and a.

novel arrangement of air circulating passageways along the walls and beneath the floors of certain rooms in a buildin structure,

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of air circulating passageways adapted to remove moisture from the walls or floors of certain rooms and return the air to the same or. other rooms, utilizing the moisture picked up in connection with the control of the humidity of the circulated air.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel building elements adapted for use in certain portions of my improved air circulating system.

Other objects and purposes include special arrangements of the walls and floors of a building to provide air passageways and the combination of my improved air circulating system with var-' ious control equipment for regulating the air conditions in the building.

In the drawings, Fig, 1 is a plan view of the lower floor of a house; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper floor of the same house; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the air conditioning equipment; Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional elevations of certain novel building elements utilized in my improved air circulating system; Fig. 7 is a sectional view along the line 1-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a modified basepoard construction; while Fig. 9 is a detail of a plate in the structure of Fig, 8.

While my invention is applicable to many sizes and styles of buildings, I have chosen to illustrate the same as embodied in a small residence but I do not desire to be limited to its application in this type of building structure but desire to claim the same broadly as determined by the scope of the appended claims.

The dwelling illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is of a type which uses a shallow excavation for the basement whereby the rooms on the lower floor are only partly below grade, thus enabling me to use certain of those rooms for living rooms. Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the plan shown provides a kitchen Ill and a dining room ll separated by a partition l2 from a basement portion l3 which may be used for the air con ditioning equipment, coal bin, laundry tubs, etc. The plan for the upper iloor shown in Fig. 2 proform air circulation from passageways 26 before they vides a living room I4, bedrooms II and I8 and a bathroom II. The outer walls are exposed to extremes of heat and cold and have a tendency to absorb moisture and I provide an air circulating system utilizing hollow walls on the exposed iaces oi the building through which the air is circulated and from which I derive one or I more of several advantages. In the first place,

the air passageways form an insulation for the inner rooms. In the second place, the circulating air current removes the extreme heat or cold from the outer walls of the rooms and, in the third place, if the outer walls are moist the circulating air will pick up this moisture which prevents the damp walls sometimes found on the exposed sides of rooms and at the same time supplies moisture in the air circulating current in the living room space which is generally desirable when rooms are closed and provided with a heating system which dries out the air.

In the type of dwelling illustrated wherein tile for the air circulation system. The walls ll rest upon a footing is which is well below the ground level 20. Air passageways are provided in rooms l0 and H by means 01' iurrlng strips II which are secured in vertical position to the wall l8 and carry on their inner surfaces the finishing wall 22. The lower floor comprises a subiloor 23 of concrete, masonry or the like upon which rest sleepers 24 which. carry the finish floor 25. Between the sleepers 24 are thus provided horizontally extending parallel passageways 26 which communicate at 21 with the vertically extending passageways 28 provided between the furring strips. This arrangement of the passageways '28 and 28 insures a'substantially unialong the walls 29 and 30 and a substantially uniform distribution of the air circulation beneath the floors of rooms I! and II. Where necessary or desirable air passageways are provided through-strips 2| or between the strips and the wall as by the nailing strips so as to equalize air flow along the entire wall and to insure a flow of air along portions of the wall above and below windows.

Means is provided for uniting the air currents enter the air conditioning equipment and in the embodiment shown the sub-floor 23 is dropped at the point 23a so as to provide a space 2| below the sleepers 24. Air outlet from this space is provided at one I or more points 32 and leads to the air conditioning equipment which is a duct 33 is provided which indicated generally at 84.

My inventionis useful wherever it is desirable to bring air downwardly along an outside wall and then. laterally beneath a floor which must be kept dry. For instance, it might be applied to a house set directly upon the ground without necessarily being a hall-story below ground level. In any case, air on the way to the tan passes evenly over an outside vertical wall and then between a floor and the damp ground so that the said wall and floor are kept dry.

Any suitable air conditioning equipment may be utilized with my air circulating system but for illustrative purposes I have shown in Fig. 4 a filter to, s ion 36, aspray chamber ll, and an air heating furnace to. Water to: the spray chamber is provided through a pipe 259 through which flow is controlled by a, solenoid operated valve to. This valve is supplied with operating current from a suitable source oi electrical supply and may be controlled by a humidostet located at a suitable position in one or the sec and which may be adjusted for the humidity desired in the rooms. The air passing through ducts 2B, 26, 8t, 82 and 83 passes through the air conditioning equipment 85 and is distributed through suitable conduits. For instance, conduit 58 cupplies room iii and through branch conduit 63c supplies room i l. (ion hit (it supplies room ii; conduit 65 supplies rooms i l and iii; while conduit iii; supplies rooms i6 and ill.

Means is provided for removing air from one oi the rooms,. for instance room i l, along sub= stentially the entire outer walls thereof edit the floor. The means shown comprises a slotted opening or openings it which in the present instance is provided by a novel baseboard structure, three lorms of which are illustrated in Figs. [5, 6 and 8. In Fig. I have shown two molding members 38 and G9 extending along the room in the position of the usual baseboard, these strips being substantially parallel and spaced apart so as to provide an air outlet opening at 58. The molding member 68 is secured to the wall it and the molding member it is secured to the floor 62. I find an additional advantage in this construction in that a relative separation between well ill and floor 52 does not draw the baseboard away from the floor as so commonly occurs in other structures but instead merely changes slightly the opening Bil. A deflector plate 53 is provided to close off the space between the Iurring strips upwardly from that point and to deflect the air currents downwardly. Aportion 68a of the member 48 extends outwardly and downwardly sufiicient to mask the ope cs irom observation by a person in normal standing or sitting posture in the room so that the baseboardgives the appearance of a solid member.

a In the modified baseboard shown in Fig. 6 a continuous strip is provided of any suitable material which-will hold its form and preferably is made oi metal. This member 5% may be provided with a bent portion Me by which it is socured to wall 29 and another bent portion 5% by which it is secured to floor 25. The baseboard member extends downwardly from its upper edge along the portion 540, then inwardly along the portion 54d in a plane which extends at an angle A not substantially greater than 30 with the floor line. From this point the member has a portion Me which extends on down to the floor. Through the for the outlet of air from the room. With the arrangement shown theseopenings in the portion "d are not noticeable by a person standing or sitting in normal posture in the room. The construction of this baseboard 54 permits vertical extension thereoi it relative separation takes place between the floor and wall to which it is fastened, and this without changing the area of the openings in the portion Md.

In Fig. 8 is still another modification having most of the advantages of the baseboard 01 Fig. 6 and showing that the entire baseboard need not be of flexible sheet material. In Fig. 8 a thin metal plate 58 is secured to the side wall at Ru and forms a sealed connection at 5%. This plate has a longitudinally extending line oi periorations at 58c calculated to give the air circulation required in the room. A baseboard finishing strip 58 of wood or the like is secured to the wall along the upper edge of plate 56 and extends outwardly and downwardly so as to conceal openings 560 from persons in the room. A finishing strip 69 may be provided at the bottom also. The plate iii: is allowed to slip at bill) so that it permits the necessary play between the walls and door under normal shrinkage of the builg members without afiecting the total area oi openings 53c, as it is vital in the circulating system that these openings remain constant.

With the building structure arranged as shown and described and with the air conditioning equipment connected with the air passageways as thus described, air from room i l passes outwardly through openings ll along the baseboards of the walls iii and passes downwardly through the vertical passageways 28 and thence along the horizontal passageways At the same time air from rooms it and ii passes outwardly through similar baseboard openings and Joins the current from the upper rooms which passes to the air conditioning equipment as already described. It will be understood that the humidity oi the air in. the rooms it, ii and M will be controlled by the humidostat ii which operates the valve Gil in the usual manner. It the walls of rooms id, ii and i l or the floors of rooms is and ii are subject to moisture the air currents will remove excess moisture and the humidostat ll will cut down the supply of water through conduit 39 by the control of valve 18. On the other hand if the walls and floors of the rooms are dry, the humidostat will control the valve 40 to supply the proper moisture required in the living rooms. Temperature control equipment has not been illustrated as the use of the some along lines analogous to the humidify equipment shown is well known but such equipment would also be subject to the varying temperature of the air passing through the ducts 28 and 26 and the control would be modified to the extent that the air was cooled or heated in passing through those ducts. For instance, in summer the walls and sub-floor below ground level are generally considerably cooler than the atmos phere and air, cooled by contact with these parts, may be recirculated in the living rooms In like manner, in winter the temperature of those parts of the structure below ground may be above atmospheric temperature and assist in maintaining the desired degree of heat in the living rooms.

It will be understood that this equipment may also be installed in rooms [5, l5 and il in a manner analogous to that already described in connection with room ll but such equipment is not portion 64:! are provided openings illustrated here.

it will be noted that, in the system ofpassageways 41-28-46-31-42-43, the narrowest point is the opening or openings 41. I utilize the size of this opening as a control point for the system. The total air handled is calculated for a given size of fan and a given area of the opening represented at 41. The other ducts, particularly 28, 26 and 31 have a greater area than the opening oropenings 41 to insure an equalization of suction throughout the system and to reduce the rate of air flow through those larger passageways. The same is true or the openings at 54d in Fig. 6 and the openings We in Figs. 8 and 9. They are the most restricted point in the system and remain constant throughout the life of the installation.

I find that an air circulating system using an opening or openings extending along a great length of wall space so distributes the air that drafts are not apparent in the room. The construction shown also utilizes an old and well lmown type of building construction to provide air circulating passages without extra cost and without loss of habitable space.

1 at I claim is: 1 l. An air circulation systemltor a building comprising, two rooms, one above and one at least partly below ground level, said lower room having an outer masonry wall and an inner finishing wall and furring strips separating said walls, whereby said spaced walls and Iurring strips provide vertically extending ducts along said wall,

7 said lower room having a subfloor and a finished floor and sleepers separating said floors, whereby said spaced floors and sleepers provide horizontaliy extending ducts along said floor, said vertical and horizontal ducts being arranged with a a passageway between them, air outlet means from said upper room communicating with said vertical, ducts, and means for withdrawing air irom saldhorizontal ducts and returning said air to said upper room.

v 2. An air circulation system as in claim 1, in

which said horizontal ducts lead to a common duct. and a fan and conduit: are arranged to withdraw air irom-saidcommon duct and deliver said air to said upper room.

3. An air circulation system for a building having at least one room in contact with the ground, saidone room having a double wall structure comprising an outer wall subject to moisture and an inner finished wall spaced therefrom and providing a passageway extending over substantially the entire area or said outer wall which is subject to moisture, said room also having a floor structure comprising an inner finished floor spaced from the ground and providing a second passageway extending over substantially the entire area of the under side oi said floor. said wall structure and floor structure having meeting edges, there being air conducting communication between said passageways along substantially the entire length of said meeting edges, heating means tor said air system, means for introducing air rrom said building into said first named passageway along a line substantially parallel to and remote from said meeting edges. means for removing air from said second passageway along an edge of said floor structure substantially parallel to and remote from said meeting edges and for conducting said air to said heating means, and means for returning said heated air to said building.

4. An air circulation system tor a building comprising a room having a door and walls. a

baseboard formed or flexible sheet material ranged to building,

secured along its upper edge to a wall and along its lower edge to a floor of said room, said baseboard beingprovided with openings evenly spaced along its length for air circulation purposes. duct means communicating with said baseboard openings, fan means for exhausting air from said room through said openings and through said duct means, said baseboard openings being more restricted than any point in said duct means, said duct means providing a suction reservoir on thefan side or said baseboard suflicient to insure substantially uniform suction along said openings, whereby with a given fan means air circulation is of predetermined velocity along said baseboard independent of relative movement between said wall and floor or said room during the life of the building.

ing at least one room having an outer wall sub- Jected directly to ground moisture, said one room having a wall structure comprising an inner finished wall spaced from said outer wall so as to form a passageway extending over substantially the entire area or said outer wall subject to ground moisture, said room having other walls not subject to ground moisture, heating means for said air system, means tor moving air from said building through said passageway and to said heating means, said passageway being arreceive air from said building along substantially the entire length of one edge of said wallstructure and to deliver air along substantially the entire length of the edge of said wall structure opposite the air receiving edge, and means for returning said heated air to said whereby said heated air is forced to pass in a'uniformly distributed manner over said board including a sheet in sealed relation between a wall and the floor 01' said room and per mitting relative movement between them, said.

sheet being provided with openings evenly spaced along its length for air circulation purposes, duct means communicating with said baseboard open-- ings, Ian means for exhausting air from said duct means, said baseboardopenings being more room through said openings and through said.

restricted than any and said duct means on the Ian side of v insure substantially uniform suction along said openings, whereby with a given tan means air circulation is of predetermined velocity along said baseboard independent or relative movement between said wall and floor oi! said room during the life of the building. I

7. In an air circulation system for a building having a hollow wall space wherein air is circulated Srom a room or said building into said wall space along a length of baseboard, a baseboard construction comprislng an elongated plate extending longitudinally of said baseboard and having a longitudinally extending line 01 perforations for air circulation therethrough, said plate being secured along one of its longitudinal edges to said baseboard, and means sealin: the other longitudinal edge or said plate to said baseboard in a manner permitting some relative movement.

CLARENCE ERROIL JONES.

point in said duct means, providing a suction reservoir said baseboardsuflicient to

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