GB1572733A

GB1572733A - Chimneys

Info

Publication number: GB1572733A
Application number: GB80777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: ENERGY EQUIP; Energy Equipment Co Ltd
Current assignee: ENERGY EQUIP; Energy Equipment Co Ltd
Priority date: 1978-04-10
Filing date: 1978-04-10
Publication date: 1980-08-06

Description

(54) CHIMNEYS (71) We, THE ENERGY EQUIPMENT COMPANY LIMITED, a British Company of Energy House, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard Beds LU7 8AE do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to chimneys and is particularly, but not exclusively concerned with chimneys comprising a windshield and one or more separate flues.

At the present time chimneys generally comprise a windshield which surrounds one or more flues extending along the length of the chimney the or each flue being defined by a flue liner.

With the taller chimneys being produced at present difficulties have been met in accommodating expansion of the or each flue liner relative to the chimney windshield.

The problem has to some extent been overcome by the provision of flue liners having expansion joints provided at spaced locations along their lengths. The provision of such expansion joints in flue liners is costly and their design and maintenance has been difficult.

Objections of the present invention include the provision of an arrangement in which the problems caused by differential expansion of a flue liner and windshield in a chimney are substantially alleviated or overcome.

Accordingly one aspect of the invention provides a method of supporting a flue liner in a chimney comprising of a resiliently suspending the flue liner within a windshield of a chimney such that the flue liner is maintained in a state of tension.

A second aspect of the invention provides a support arrangement for a flue liner in a chimney, the arrangement comprising resilient means for supporting the flue liner within a windshield of the chimney such that the flue liner is maintained in a state of tension.

The resilient means may be provided to support the flue liner at spaced positions along the length thereof. With advantage the resilient means are supported by a structure of beams carried by the chimney windshield, the resilient means comprising spring loaded hanger members attached to the flue liner.

Further aspects of the invention include the provision of a chimney in having a flue liner supported by an arrangement as defined above.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings accompanying this specification and in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a chimney embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view drawn on line A-A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view drawn on line B-B of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view drawn on line C-C of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view drawn on line DD of Figure 2 and Figure 6 is a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, drawn on line E-E of Figure 1.

As can be seen a chimney comprises an outer windshield 11 and three inner flues 12, 13 and 14 defined by flue liners 15, 16 and 17.

At various stages along the length of the tower suspension points 18, 19 and 20 are provided at which the flue liners 15, 16 and 17 are supported. Details of one of these suspension points 18, is shown in Figure 2.

At each suspension point a supporting beam structure 21 is provided, the beam structure being supported on the windshield 11 of a chimney by brackets 22. Each of the brackets 22 is attached to the windshield 11 by suitable means for example as shown in Figure 5 by means of bolts 23.

Each beam structure 21 comprises main beams 24 (as shown in Figure 2) and secondary beams 25, which secondary beams 25 extend between and are supported between pairs of main beams 24. The secondary beams 25 are fixed to the main beams 24 by welding (as shown) or in any other suitable way.

The flue liners 15, 16 and 17 are carried by the beams 24 and 25 by means of resillient suspension means as shown generally at 26 in Figure 2.

These supporting means are shown in more detail in Figure 4.

As can be been from Figure 4 a secondary beam 25 is formed to carry two hangers 27 which pass through one of the flanges 28 to the beam and are resilliently biased away therefrom by means of coiled springs 29.

The other ends of the hangers 27 are rigidly attached to a flange 30 of a bracket 31 welded to the flue liner 15 (as shown in Figure 4).

The arrangement is such that the springs 29 bias the hangers 27 upwardly and act to maintain the flue liner 15 in a state of tension under its own weight.

In use when the flues carry hot gases the flue liners expand relative to the windshield of the chimney and the loading of the springs 29 is therefore reduced, however the size of the springs 29 is chosen such that the flue liner itself is maintained in a state of tension under all conditions of use.

Figure 6 shows a spring biased guide used to maintain the position of the liners relative to the windshield at the top of a chimney.

In this arrangement springs 31 act horizontally to bias a member 32 into contact with the liner 15 and permit movement of the liner relative to the windshield when for example the windshield is moved due to wind. Member 32 is pivoted at 33 on a support member 34 rigidly attached to the windshield of the chimney.

It will be appreciated that with the particular arrangement of chimney described movement of personnel within the chimney is permitted and to this end fixed ladders 35 are attached to the inner wall of the windshield 11 extending upwardly along the length of the chimney and communicating with intermediate rest platforms 36 at various heights within the windshield.

At the positions where the beam structures 21 are located platforms 37 are advantageously provided enabling personnel to walk around each of the flues in the chimney in order to check them for periodic maintenance and/or repair. At the same time gangways may be provided from the platforms 37 to permit personnel to check, maintain and repair aircraft warning lights for example built into the chimney windshield and mounted on plates able to swivel about a horizontal axis.

In accordance with the invention the hangers 27 which are resiliently mounted on coiled springs, may be mounted on any other resilient means which enables a tensile force to be applied and maintained to the suspended flue liner system. The hangers may be arranged in pairs or singly at one or more levels in the chimney. The load applied by means of the resilient hanger systems to the flue liners is supported by the complex 21 of beams attached to and carried by the chimney windshield.

The capacity of the compressed springs 29 is used to apply a varying force to wholely or partially support the flue liner system so that whatever the extent of the expansion of the flue liners relative to the windshield, the springs 29 provide some tension in the flue liner system itself.

The total support system is so designed that when the flue liner expansion causes partial unloading of the resillient hanger systems the load is proportionately transferred toward the lowermost support level in the chimney, normally the base.

It is important to note that the design now provided always enables sufficient minimum support control to be given to the liner system at all levels of the liner within the chimney.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of supporting a flue liner in a chimney comprising resiliently suspending the flue liner within a windshield of a chimney such that the flue liner is maintained in a state of tension.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the flue liner is suspended by resilient hanger systems attached to the flue liner at spaced positions along its length.

3. A support arrangement for a flue liner in a chimney, the arrangement comprising resillient means for supporting the flue liner within a windshield of the chimney such that the flue liner is maintained in a state of tension.

4. An arrangement according to Claim 3 wherein resilient means are provided to support the flue liner at spaced positions along the length thereof.

5. An arrangement according to Claim 3 or to Claim 4 wherein the resilient means are supported by a structure of beams carried by the chimney windshield.

6. An arrangement according to any of Claims 3,4 and 5 wherein the resilient means comprise spring loaded hanger members attached to the flue liner.

7. An arrangement according to Claim 6 wherein the hanger members are rigidly attached to the flue liner.

8. An arrangement according to Claim 7 wherein the hanger members are spring

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Figure 5 by means of bolts 23. Each beam structure 21 comprises main beams 24 (as shown in Figure 2) and secondary beams 25, which secondary beams 25 extend between and are supported between pairs of main beams 24. The secondary beams 25 are fixed to the main beams 24 by welding (as shown) or in any other suitable way. The flue liners 15, 16 and 17 are carried by the beams 24 and 25 by means of resillient suspension means as shown generally at 26 in Figure 2. These supporting means are shown in more detail in Figure 4. As can be been from Figure 4 a secondary beam 25 is formed to carry two hangers 27 which pass through one of the flanges 28 to the beam and are resilliently biased away therefrom by means of coiled springs 29. The other ends of the hangers 27 are rigidly attached to a flange 30 of a bracket 31 welded to the flue liner 15 (as shown in Figure 4). The arrangement is such that the springs 29 bias the hangers 27 upwardly and act to maintain the flue liner 15 in a state of tension under its own weight. In use when the flues carry hot gases the flue liners expand relative to the windshield of the chimney and the loading of the springs 29 is therefore reduced, however the size of the springs 29 is chosen such that the flue liner itself is maintained in a state of tension under all conditions of use. Figure 6 shows a spring biased guide used to maintain the position of the liners relative to the windshield at the top of a chimney. In this arrangement springs 31 act horizontally to bias a member 32 into contact with the liner 15 and permit movement of the liner relative to the windshield when for example the windshield is moved due to wind. Member 32 is pivoted at 33 on a support member 34 rigidly attached to the windshield of the chimney. It will be appreciated that with the particular arrangement of chimney described movement of personnel within the chimney is permitted and to this end fixed ladders 35 are attached to the inner wall of the windshield 11 extending upwardly along the length of the chimney and communicating with intermediate rest platforms 36 at various heights within the windshield. At the positions where the beam structures 21 are located platforms 37 are advantageously provided enabling personnel to walk around each of the flues in the chimney in order to check them for periodic maintenance and/or repair. At the same time gangways may be provided from the platforms 37 to permit personnel to check, maintain and repair aircraft warning lights for example built into the chimney windshield and mounted on plates able to swivel about a horizontal axis. In accordance with the invention the hangers 27 which are resiliently mounted on coiled springs, may be mounted on any other resilient means which enables a tensile force to be applied and maintained to the suspended flue liner system. The hangers may be arranged in pairs or singly at one or more levels in the chimney. The load applied by means of the resilient hanger systems to the flue liners is supported by the complex 21 of beams attached to and carried by the chimney windshield. The capacity of the compressed springs 29 is used to apply a varying force to wholely or partially support the flue liner system so that whatever the extent of the expansion of the flue liners relative to the windshield, the springs 29 provide some tension in the flue liner system itself. The total support system is so designed that when the flue liner expansion causes partial unloading of the resillient hanger systems the load is proportionately transferred toward the lowermost support level in the chimney, normally the base. It is important to note that the design now provided always enables sufficient minimum support control to be given to the liner system at all levels of the liner within the chimney. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of supporting a flue liner in a chimney comprising resiliently suspending the flue liner within a windshield of a chimney such that the flue liner is maintained in a state of tension.

8. An arrangement according to Claim 7 wherein the hanger members are spring

biased away from said beams.

9. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 8 where each hanger system comprises a paid of hanger members.

10. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 9 wherein said hanger members pass through flanges of the beams of said beam structure.

11. An arrangement for supporting a flue liner in a chimney substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A chimney comprising at least one flue liner housed within a chimney windshield, wherein the flue liner is supported within the windshield by an arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 11.

13. A chimney as claimed in Claim 12 and including means permitting relative movement of the flue liner and the chimney windshield, said means comprising a member pivotally carried by the windshield and is spring biased into contact with the flue liner.

14. The chimney as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13 having a plurality of flue liners.

15. A chimney substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.