GB2072352A

GB2072352A - Installing Insulation

Info

Publication number: GB2072352A
Application number: GB8009401A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PNEUMATIC APPLIC Inc
Current assignee: PNEUMATIC APPLIC Inc
Priority date: 1980-03-20
Filing date: 1980-03-20
Publication date: 1981-09-30

Abstract

Apparatus for installing insulation comprises a vehicle including a frame 35, a floor structure 37 carried by the vehicle having a region adapted to have insulation bales 65 stored thereon, and a blower 67 carried by the vehicle for blowing insulation from the vehicle to a desired location. The floor 37 carrying the insulation is weighed by load cells 46 so that the weight of insulation blown to the desired location at any instant is known. From this, the thermal value of the insulation can be determined. The vehicle floor structure includes a movable floor 63 which advances the insulation in the vehicle toward the blower 67. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and Apparatus for Installing Insulation With the energy shortage, proper insulation of buildings, both residential and commercial, has become of ever-increasing importance. However, insulating a building of necessity increases cost, and this is particularly undesirable in view of the rapid nationwide escalation in construction cost.

For this reason, any reduction in the cost of insulating would have a favorable impact on both the energy and cost problems.

It is common practice to install building insulation in batts or by blowing of the insulation into the space to be insulated. For example, the walls of a building, such as a residence, may have insulation in batt form, whereas the attic may have blown insulation.

For blowing insulation, a truck carrying a supply of blowable insulation and a blower may be employed. Insulation is blown from the truck through a hose to the desired location, such as the attic of a house. When using this technique, the insulation is blown into the attic to a specified depth, and it is assumed that this specified depth will yield a corresponding R value or thermal value. The R value or thermal value means the resistance of the insulation to heat transfer.

Unfortunately, the assumption that blown insulation of a prescribed depth will yield a corresponding thermal value is incorrect and, in some instances, is grossly erroneous. For example, different blowing techniques can alter the density of the resulting blown insulation layer, and this in turn greatly alters the thermal value. In other words, the thermal value is density dependent, and thickness measurements do not take density into account. Specifically, lower density provides a thermal value having less resistance to heat transfer, i.e., poorer insulation.

This invention provides a novel method and apparatus for rapidly and efficiently blowing insulation to a desired location to be insulated.

With this invention, the insulation can be rapidly installed thereby effecting substantial cost savings. in addition, dependence upon the unreliable insulation thickness-thermal value relationship is not utilized.

To provide much greater uniformity in the specified thermal value of blown insulation, this invention uses the weight of the blown insulation.

It has beenfound that the weight of blown insulation per unit area of surface to be insulated correlates much more accurately with thermal value for a given kind of insulation than does thickness of the insulation layer. Accordingly, this invention considerably increases the accuracy of a blown insulation system in meeting specified thermal values.

The weight of insulation required for providing a specified thermal value over a known area to be insulated can be readily determined. With this invention, the weight of insulation blown to the region to be insulated can be continuously and easily monitored. Accordingly, the instant at which blowing of insulation should be terminated is readily apparent. Although insulation can be blown into regions having different spacial orientations, insulation blowing is particularly adapted for the insulating of a generally horizontal space, such as above the ceiling joists in an attic.

The apparatus of this invention which is used for installing insulation includes a vehicle with a frame and at least one wheel coupled to the frame to permit the vehicle to move along a supporting surface. Although the vehicle can be a trailer, it is preferably a truck.

A floor structure is carried by the vehicle and, at least a region of the floor structure defines an insulation storage section which is adapted to have insulation stored thereon. Insulation blower means is carred by the vehicle for blowing insulation placed therein from the vehicle to a desired location. The blower can advantageously be located at the rear of the floor structure, and the floor structure preferably includes movable means for moving the insulation on the insulation storage section toward the blower.

Means is carried by the vehicle for weighing the insulation on the insulation storage section whereby the amount of insulation blown from the vehicle to the desired location and the thermal value thereof at the desired location can be ascertained. Although the weighing means can take different forms, it preferably-includes a load receiving frame mounted on the vehicle frame and a plurality of load cells interposed between the load receiving frame and the floor structure.

This enables changes in the weight of insulation on the floor structure as a result of blowing insulation from the vehicle to be obtained by a direct, continuous read-out.

The movable portion of the floor structure and the blower can advantageously be driven by hydraulic power derived from the hydraulic system of the vehicle. The rear segment of the floor structure on which the blower is mounted is preferably at a lower elevation than other regions of the floor structure to facilitate feeding of insulation material into the blower. The vehicle preferably has a truck box with a side wall and door means in the side wall to facilitate loading of the insulation into the truck box.

The invention, together with further features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings in which; Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a vehicle constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view with parts broken away taken generally along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows a vehicle in the form of a truck 11 which includes a vehicle frame 13 and wheels 1 5 rotatably mounted on the frame 13 to enable the truck to move along a street 1 7 or other supporting surface. The truck 11 includes a cab 19 for the driver and a truck box 21 mounted on the frame 13 to the rear of the cab 19. The truck box 21 defines a complete enclosure and has opposite side walls 23 and 25, a front wall 26 and a rear wall 27. Although the top of the truck box 21 may be open, it is preferably closed by a top wall 29. A forward hinged loading door 31 (Fig. 2) is provided in the side wall 23 and double-hinged loading doors 33 are provided in the side walls 23 and 25 adjacent the rear end of the truck box.

Access doors (not shown), such as in the lower portion of the rear wall 27, may be provided in the truck box 21 as desired.

The vehicle frame 13 includes two longitudinal vehicle frame members 35 (Figs. 1, 4 and 5) which are arranged in spaced parallel relationship and which support the truck box 21. The truck box 21 has a floor 37 (Figs. 3-5) which may be of generally conventional construction. The floor 37 includes longitudinal structural channels 39 (Fig.

4) extending substantially the full length of the floor, transverse structural channels 41 (Fig. 5) and a web 43 mounted to, and extending between, the channels 41. Fig. 5 shows a rearwardly located pair of transverse channels 41 and a similar pair of transverse channels (not shown) extends across the floor 37 adjacent the forward end of the floor.

The truck box 21 is floatingly mounted on the vehicle frame members'35 in such a way that the weight of the entire truck box and its contents can be continuously weighed. To accomplish this, weighing means, including a load receiving frame 45 mounted on the vehicle frame members 35 and conventional load cells 46, is provided. The load receiving frame 45 includes a pair of spaced longitudinal frame members 47 (Figs. 3 and 5) above the vehicle frame members 35, respectively, and transverse frame members 49 rigidly coupled to the longitudinal frame members 47 adjacent the forward end of the truck box 21 and the rear end of the vehicle frame members 35. The frame members 47 are suitably mounted on the vehicle frame members 35 in any suitable manner, such as by a plurality of U-bolts 51.Thus, the load receiving frame 45 is rigidly mounted on the vehicle frame members 35.

To provide for weighing of the truck box 21, the load cells 46 are interposed between the ends of the two transverse frame members 49 and the floor 37 of the truck hox 21. In the embodiment illustrated, four of the load cells 46 are employed.

To floatingly attach the floor 37 to the load receiving frame 45, an appropriate number of tie rods 55 are employed (Fig. 5). The tie rod 55 shown by way of example in Fig. 5 includes a pair of rods 57 pivotally attached, respectively, at their outer ends to the channel 39 and to the longitudinal frame member 47. The inner ends of the rods 57 are received in a nut 59 to form, in effect, a turn-buckle enabling the tension on the rods 57 to be adjusted. The tie rod 55 shown in Fig. 5 cooperates with similarly arranged tie rods to restrain the truck box 21 against longitudinal movement with respect to the vehicle frame members 35, and similar tie rods (not shown) can be mounted between the transverse frame members 49 of the load receiving frame 45 and the floor 37 to restrain the truck box 21 from moving transversely with respect to the vehicle frame members 35.

Although the load cells 46 can be of different types, they are preferably electronic. By way of example, the load receiving frame 45, the load cells 46 and the floating mounting of the truck box 21 may be in accordance with Carlson U.S.

Patent No. 3,146,839. A dial 61 mounted on the rear wall 27 within the truck box 21 is coupled to the load cells 46 and the necessary conventional electricai circuit to provide a readout of the weight measured by the load cells 46.

The truck 11 also includes a movable floor 63 for moving bales 65 of insulation within the truck box 21 rearwardly toward a blower 67 located in the rear of the truck box. In the embodiment illustrated, the movable floor 63 and the floor 37 of the truck box 21 comprise a floor structure on which the bales 65 are supported. Although the movable floor 63 may take different forms, in the embodiment illustrated, it includes a conventional walking floor of the type manufactured by Hallco Manufacturing Company of Tillamock, Oregon 97141. Briefly, the movable floor 63 includes transversely extending floor members or shuttle members 69 (Figs. 3 and 5) extending transversely on the floor 37 of the truck box 21.

The shuttle members 69 are reciprocated longitudinally of the truck box 21 in a predetermined sequence by three hydraulic actuators 71, 73 and 75. Each of the actuators 71,73 and 75 is coupled to drive shuttle members 1,4 and 7 of the sequence, and the actuators 73 and 75 would be coupled to drive shuttle members 2. 5 and 8 and 3, 6 and 9, respectively. By advancing all of the shuttle members 69 in unison toward the rear of the truck box and then sequentially retracting the shuttle members, any load on the movable floor 63 is moved toward the rear of the truck box. For example, the shuttle members 69 driven by the actuator 71 may retract first, followed by the shuttle members driven by the actuators 73 and 75 in that order.

The blower 67 may be a conventional insulation blower having a hopper 77 at its upper end into which the bales 65 of insulation may be placed. A hose 79 (Fig. 2) is coupled to the blower 67 to enable the blower to force the insulation to the region to be insulated. The blower 67 can break up the bales 65 of insulation so that the insulation can be blown through the hose 79.

Although the blower 67 can be powered in different ways, in the embodiment illustrated, it is driven by a hydraulic motor 81. The hydraulic motor 81 and the actuators 71,73 and 75 can advantageously receive hydraulic power via a conduit 83 (Fig. 1) coupled to a power takeoff connection 85 from the hydraulic system of the truck 11. In this regard, the truck 11 includes a large hydraulic reservoir 87.

The floor 37 of the truck 11 has a lowered rear segment 89 (Fig. 1) which is rearward of a back end 91 of the vehicle frame members 35. The blower 67 is mounted on the lowered rear segment 89. The floor 37 also includes a platform 93 (Fig. 1) which overhangs a forward portion of the lowered rear segment 89. This enables a workman to more easily load the insulation into the hopper 77 of the blower 67. In this regard, the top wall 29 of the truck box 21 is sufficiently above the floor 37 to enable a workman to stand on the floor 37.

In use, the bales 65 of insulation are loaded into the truck box 21 through the doors 31 and 33. The truck is then driven to the housing development or other area containing buildings to be insulated. A workman standing on the platform 93 zeroes the dial 61 and loads bales 65 of insulation into the hopper 77 of the blower 67.

The hose 79 is manually held with its outer end directed toward the region to be insulated, and blower operation is initiated.

The dial 61 provides a continuous reading as to the weight loss of the truck box 21 and its contents. In other words, the dial 61 provides continuous read-out as to the weight of insulation blown out of the truck box 21 by the blower 67.

The dial 61 may show directly the weight of insulation blown from the truck 11. Alternatively, the dial 61 may show the total weight of the truck box and its contents in which event a simple subtraction step must be performed to calculate the amount of insulation blown from the truck 11.

When the weight of insulation corresponding to a particular thermal value for the area being insulated has been blown from the truck box 21, operation of the blower 67 is discontinued by the operator, and the hose 79 is moved to the next location to be insulated, and the operation described above is repeated. The weight of insulation per square foot required to provide a desired thermal value can be determined from information available from the manufacturer of the insulation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for installing insulation comprising: a vehicle including a frame and at least one wheel coupled to the frame whereby the vehicle can move along a supporting surface; a floor structure carried by the vehicle, at least a region of said floor structure defining an insulation storage section which is adapted to have insulation stored thereon: insulation blower means carried by said vehicle for blowing insulation placed therein from the insulating storage section from the vehicle to a desired location; and means carried by the vehicle for weighing the insulation on the insulating storage section whereby the amount of insulation blown from the vehicle to said desired location and the thermal value thereof at said desired location can be ascertained.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said floor structure includes movable means for moving the insulation on said insulation storage, section toward the insulation blower means.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said vehicle includes a truck box, said floor structure defining at least a major portion of the bottom of said truck box, said floor structure having a rear segment and said insulation blower means being mounted on said rear segment, said truck box including a side wall and door means in said side wall to permit loading of the insulation into the truck box.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said weighing means includes a load receiving frame mounted on said vehicle frame and a plurality of load cells interposed between said load receiving frame and said floor structure whereby changes in the weight of the insulation on the floor structure can be ascertained.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said vehicle includes a truck with a hydraulic system and said movable means and said insulation blower means is driven by said hydraulic system, said vehicle includes a truck box, said floor structure defining at least a substantial portion of the bottom of said truck box, a rear segment of said floor structure overhanging the rear end of said vehicle frame and being at a lower elevation than other regions of the floor structure, said insulation blower means being mounted on said rear segment of said floor structure, said truck box having a side wall and door means in said side wall to permit loading of the insulation therein.

6. A method of installing insulation in an attic of a structure comprising: providing a supply of blowable insulation; blowing at least some of the insulation from the supply to a location in the attic of said structure which is to be insulated; and weighing the insulation to determine at a time after said step of blowing is initiated and before the supply of blowable insulation is exhausted, the weight of insulation blown at such time to said location whereby the thermal value of the insulation blown to said location can be ascertained.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein said step of weighing includes weighing the supply of blowable insulation a plurality of times after said step of blowing is initiated and before the supply of blowable insulation is exhausted whereby the weight of insulation blown to said location and the thermal value thereof can be ascertained.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 including providing a blower and a movable floor structure, placing the supply of blowable insulation on the movable floor structure whereby the movable floor structure can move the supply of blowable insulation toward the blower, and utilizing said blower to blow at least some of the insulation from the supply to said location.

9. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein said step of weighing includes substantially continuously weighing the supply of blowable insulation for a period during said step of blowing.