EP0953810A2

EP0953810A2 - Template particularly for installing radiating panels and for testing the associated heating systems

Info

Publication number: EP0953810A2
Application number: EP99107363A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pietro Luigi Bordignon
Original assignee: MB Srl
Current assignee: MB Srl
Priority date: 1998-04-30
Filing date: 1999-04-22
Publication date: 1999-11-03
Also published as: ITPD980107A1; EP0953810A3

Abstract

A template, particularly for installing radiating panels and for testing the associated heating systems, comprising a first portion (11) which is suitable to be rested against a wall and a second portion (12) which cantilevers out from the first portion (11), with which an internally hollow slider (22) is slidingly associated; the slider (22) is provided with fittings (26,27) which can be connected to infeed/discharge connectors of a heating system. The fittings are directly interconnected in order to allow a bypass flow of the water supplied by the heating system.

Description

The present invention relates to a template particularly for installing radiating panels and for testing the associated heating systems.
It is well-known that usually, before performing the final installation of radiating panels in a room, the entire heating system must be tested in order to ensure that all the pipe joints are tight and to immediately test for any leaks.
In order to do this, the radiating panels must be connected to the pipes so as to start circulating water under pressure and accordingly detect any leaks.
Usually, in order to avoid damaging the radiating panels said panels are packaged in adapted packages on which openings are formed at the region of the panels that is provided with the fittings for coupling to the connectors of the heating system.
The radiating panels are in fact made of pressed and painted steel plate and can easily suffer surface damage, with marks and scratches, during installation and during the testing of the heating system.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a device which solves the drawbacks mentioned above of conventional templates.
Within the scope of this aim, a particular object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows to test a heating system without having to connect to the radiating panels, thus avoiding any damage to the panels.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a device which simplifies the operations for correctly installing the radiating panels, facilitating their placement with respect to the connectors of the heating system to which they are to be connected.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows to simplify the operations for installing radiating panels and for testing the corresponding heating system by means of an extremely simple structural configuration.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be easily adapted to the various models of radiating panel currently commercially available.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device particularly for installing radiating panels and for testing the associated heating systems which can be used many times.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for testing heating systems which can be manufactured in practice at a low cost.
This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a template, characterized in that it comprises a first portion which is adapted to be rested against a wall and a second portion which cantilevers out from the first one, with which an internally hollow slider is slidingly associated, said slider being provided with fittings which can be connected to infeed/discharge connectors of a heating system, said fittings being directly connected to each other in order to allow a bypass flow of the water supplied by said heating system.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a template particularly for installing radiating panels and for testing the associated heating system, according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a partially sectional view of the template of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the template shown in Figure 1 in the operating configuration;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the template of Figure 1.
With reference to the above figures, a template particularly for installing radiating panels and for testing the associated heating system, according to the invention, is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a first flat portion 11 and a second flat portion 12 which protrudes from the first portion and is substantially perpendicular thereto.
A first longitudinal slotted hole 13 and a second vertical slotted hole 14 are formed in the first portion 11 in this case.
A locator tab 15 protrudes from the upper end of the first portion 11, parallel to the second portion 12, while to the sides of the tab flaps 16 are provided by folding the upper parts of the first portion 11.
The first portion 11 is suitable to be fixed to a wall by means of screws 17 and screw anchors 18, of a per se known kind, which engage the wall after passing through the first and second holes 13 and 14.
A straight slot 19 is formed in a substantially central position in the second portion 12, and along outer edges 20 of the second portion there are provided first reference notches 21 which are mutually equidistant.
The template 10 has a slider, generally designated by the reference numeral 22, which is conveniently coupled to the second portion 12 so as to slide along the downward face of the second portion.
The slider 22 is internally hollow and comprises a flat plate 23, which in this case is rectangular and is substantially as long as the second portion 12 is wide.
A shell-shaped wall 24 is fixed in a per se known manner to the plate 23 of the slider 22, so as to form an internal interspace 25 together with the plate 23.
In particular, a first fitting 26 and a second fitting 27 protrude from the shell-shaped wall 24; each fitting has a tubular structure and the end portion 28 of its outer surface is conveniently threaded.
The first and second fittings 26 and 27 are therefore directly interconnected by way of the interspace 25.
Preferably, the first and second fittings 26 and 27 and the shell-shaped wall 24 are associated with the plate 23 by braze welding.
The slider 22 is provided with fixing means, generally designated by the reference numeral 29, and comprises a screw 30 whose shank 31 passes through the plate 23, while the head 32 is welded inside the interspace 25.
The shank 31, after protruding from the plate 23, passes through the straight slot 19 formed in the second portion 12 and engages a complementarily threaded seat formed inside a knob 33.
The fixing of the slider 22 is ensured by the knob 33, which screws onto the shank 31 of the screw 30.
The plate 23 of the slider 22 has ends 34 which are folded around the outer edges 20 of the second portion 12 and on each of which a second reference notch 35 is formed.
The folded ends 34 constitute guides for the sliding of the slider 22 along the second portion 12.
The first and second fittings 26 and 27 can be easily connected respectively to a first connector 36 and to a second connector 37 for the infeed/discharge, respectively, of the water of a heating system.
The fixing of each one of the first and second fittings 26 and 27 to the first and second connectors 36 and 37 is ensured, in this case, by means of rings 38 of a per se known type which are conveniently screwed on at the threaded end portion 28.
The template 10 is suitable to be fixed at the wall on which the radiating panels of a heating system, shown schematically by phantom lines 40, are subsequently to be installed.
It is in fact sufficient to fix the template 10 to the wall and, depending on the model of panel that is to be installed, to adjust the position of the slider 22 on the second portion 12, making each one of the second notches 35 abut at one of the first reference notches 21 and fix it by appropriately screwing the knob 33 on the shank 31.
After doing this, the first and second fittings 26 and 27 are arranged exactly at the first and second connectors 36 and 37 of the heating system, so that in this case it is extremely simple to connect them by tightening the rings 38.
In this manner, the water of the heating system can enter one of the fittings 26 and 27 without any problem through one of the connectors 36 and 37 and from there, by virtue of the interspace 25, exit from the other connector without affecting any other element.
It is therefore evident that testing the heating system is very easy and quick, since it is not necessary to connect the radiating panels to start circulating water under pressure, so as to immediately check for the presence of any leaks.
Once the operation of the heating system has been checked, the template allows to quickly and perfectly position the radiating panels.
The radiating panels must in fact be fixed to the wall (or to the floor in the case of radiating panels provided with legs) only after the installer has accurately calculated the coupling point, since the fittings of the panels must be able to mate with the connectors of the hydraulic system, shown in particular in Figure 3, which protrude from the floor.
By virtue of the presence of the template described with the present invention, correct positioning of the panels is ensured immediately by virtue of the abutment produced thereon by the tab 15 and by the flaps 16.
Once the installation of the radiating panels has been completed, the template can be easily removed from the wall to which it had been fixed.
In this manner, the template can be used an unlimited number of times.
An important advantage is achieved with the present invention in that a template has been provided which allows to test a heating system without having to perform connection to the radiating panels, thus avoiding any damage thereof.
Another important advantage is achieved in view of the fact that the present invention provides a template which simplifies the operations for correctly positioning the connectors of the heating system and at the same time facilitates the subsequent operations for installing the radiating panels to which they are to be connected.
Another advantage has been achieved by virtue of the fact that a template has been provided which allows to simplify the operations for installing the radiating panels and the testing of the corresponding heating system by virtue of a very simple structural configuration.
Another important advantage is ensured by the present invention in that a template has been provided which is easily adaptable to the various models of radiating panel that are currently commercially available.
Another advantage is further achieved in view of the fact that a device particularly for installing radiating panels and testing the associated heating systems has been provided which can be used a considerable number of times without any problem.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a template for testing heating systems has been provided which can be produced in practice with an extremely low cost.
In this regard, it is important to note once more that the use of the template described with the present invention avoids any handling of the radiating panels before their final installation.
The present invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.
All the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
The materials used, so long as they are compatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD98A000107 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A template particularly for installing radiating panels and testing the associated heating systems, characterized in that it comprises a first portion which is suitable to be rested against a wall and a second portion which cantilevers out from the first portion, with which an internally hollow slider is slidingly associated, said slider being provided with fittings which can be connected to the infeed/discharge connectors of a heating system, said fittings being directly interconnected in order to allow a bypass flow of the water supplied by said heating system.
The template according to claim 1, characterized in that on said second portion there is provided a slot and in that a threaded shank protrudes from said slider and is suitable to pass through said slot and screw into a lock nut.
The template according to claim 2, characterized in that said slider comprises a flat plate to be coupled to said second portion, said plate having ends which are folded around outer edges of said second portion so as to form a guide for the sliding thereof.
The template according to claim 3, characterized in that on the outer edges of said second portion there are first reference notches and in that a second reference notch is formed on each folded end of said plate of the slider.
The template according to claim 4, characterized in that each one of said fittings that protrudes from said slider has a threaded end portion.
The template according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one locator tab for positioning said radiating panels protrudes from said first portion.
The template according to claim 6, characterized in that on said first portion there are provided slotted holes for fixing to a wall.
The template according to claim 1, characterized in that said second portion is perpendicular to said first portion.
The template according to claim 2, characterized in that said lock nut comprises a knob.