GB2083204A - Ventilation equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A natural ventilator has spaced side-walls extending from opposite edges of a rectangular or elongated vent. Between the side-walls extend sets (10) of spaced troughs at different heights and series (30) of baffles. The sets of troughs are staggered so that higher troughs cover spaces between lower troughs and the baffles extend substantially, vertically. Of three sets of troughs, the lower two (10B, 10C) have closed bottoms (11) and the uppermost (10A) are open bottomed (23). The troughs stop vertical fall-through and the baffles stop oblique fall-through of water drops. The lower baffles (30B) extend upwardly from top edges of the lowermost troughs (10C) and the upper baffles (30A) extend down from the bottom-gaps of the uppermost troughs (10A) past upper edges of the intermediate troughs (10B). Only a small number of basic sheet elements are required for construction in unlimited lengths of ventilator. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ventilation equipment The invention relates to ventilation equipment, particularly so-called heat-movers that serve to enable and facilitate passage of air from within a building through the roof thereof entirely as a result of convection currents resulting from heat generated within that building.

Hitherto, in the application of natural draught ventilation, it has been customary to use either or both of ridge ventilators and heat-movers. Ridge ventilations usually have a large exit guidance and weathering structure over and extending along a relatively narrow ridge vent. Heat-movers have smaller structures over and virtually coterminous with discrete substantially rectangular or elongate vents, usually down pitches of a ridged roof or distributed over a flat roof.

We have, ourselves, contributed significantly to the art of ridge ventilators, especially in respect of improving air-exit efficiency and weathering protection. Such ventilators can be made to perform to very high standards, even as to weathering in very heavy rain conditions. They are, however, heavy in themselves, and also, inevitably, present a large target for wind, which can contribute substantially to the required load-bearing capacity of the basic structure of the roof to which they are fitted. By contrast, heat-movers have tended to have a lower height and thus, by that and their positioning, impose much lower loadings on the roof served. But they have never been capable of adequate weathering for very heavy rain conditions, except perhaps, by reason of protection afforded by their canting on a roof pitch.That problem tends to worsen as the unit width or length (extent) of heat-movers is increased.

It is one object of this invention to provide a heat-mover that is much improved as to weathering, even to the point of being capable of use along a ridge of a pitched roof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a construction of heat-mover that is capable of embodiment in a continuous run of optional length and width, rather than relying upon discrete, unitary, heat-mover modules of prescribed dimensions.

Meeting these objections as proposed herein gives rise to two aspects of invention. One concerns the use of sets of trough orgulley-shaped members, of which those of one set overlie and cover spacings between those of another to block vertical fallthrough of water drops, and series of baffles, preferably vertical, lacated so as to serve both in obstructing straight passage of obliquely driven rain past the said members and in obstructing water being splashed out of bottom-most ones of said members. Such sets of members and series of baffles are well adapted further to serve in catching water bounced or splashed.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, two sets of said members are of closedbottom gulley-type form disposed one lowermost and the other at an intermediate height of the heat-movers. A further set of said members is disposed upppermost, and substantially registering with the lowermost said set, and of gap-bottomed form to drain thereinto. One series of said baffles extends downwardly from the gapped-bottoms of the uppermost said members, and another series of said baffles extends upwardly from the sides of the lowermost said members.

Such combination of said members at three heights and baffles at two heights is particularly effective in protecting against rain ingress, however heavy that rain may be, including tropical rain at rates of 15 cms or more per hour. It is especially for such heavy rain, or a combination of rain and hail, that the most severe weathering problems occur.

Rain-drops per se have no direct path through heat-movers hereof and, whatever their size and energy, they will tend to break up or explode on hitting any part of the heatmover, and so present much less likelihood of ingress against any updraught through the heat-mover. But, perforce, surfaces receiving rain water will be wetted in proportion to the severity of the rainfall, and the main problems hitherto for heat-movers have arisen from the displacement of water from wetted surfaces by very energetic rain-drops. Such displacement, particularly downwardly can produce further drops that are very heavy indeed, and our preferred constructions are highly successful in the containing of those further drops, and their splashing effects in the lowermost said members.

The preferred closed-bottom said members are advantageously of truncated V-section, and standardisation of production and erection is aided where all such members are of the same size and shape.

The preferred gap-bottomed said members are advantageously each of a V-section gapped at its apex. A suitable construction is of two plates or sheets diverging upwardly from a gap between them at which each plate or sheet is bent to a downward direction to train water for dropping directly downwardly towards the bottom of that lowermost said member that registers therewith. We prefer that at least one of those sheets or plates of each uppermost said member extends vertically downwardly to a substantial extent past the upper edges of the intermediate height said member, preferably through the full height thereof, and thereby constitutes a baffle of said one series.

Preferably, all of said lowermost, intermediate and uppermost members have side inclinations at substantially 45". Also the other ones of said plates or sheets are advantageously shorter than those affording said one series of baffles, and are further capable of fitment by their bent ends to upper edge portions of the lowermost said members, so as to constitute said other series of baffles.

It will be appreciated that combination of selected preferred structural features hereof leads to a kit of parts for said members and baffles of a heat-mover that comprises, as basic elements, one element for the closed-bottom members and two elements as plates or sheets for the open-bottomed members and at least the upper baffles. Each type of such basic elements will nest together in stacks or bundles for ready transportation and handling.

That still applies where, as is further preferred,, upper edge portions of each of at least the uppermost and intermediate said members are bent outwardly. Preferred upper outward bending of the other baffles produces a fourth basic element but stacks or bundles thereof will partially interfitwith either of the two sheets for the open-bottomed members that themselves will stack together.

It is preferred that maximum widths of the members above their edge portion exceed those of the spacings between next lower said members, which spacings themselves exceed the interior widths below their edge portion bends of the members below the outward bending, so as to maximise the internal heat-mover space that is available for air flow upwardly through the heat-mover. That also aids ensuring that the same minimum overall airway width applies from bottom to top of the heat-mover and is defined only locally at said bent edge portions.

Turning now to the other aspect of the invention, that concerns the fabrication, erection or assembly of a heat-mover on-site to any desired length utilising members and baffles as aforesaid laid and secured to extend between supporting side frameworks. That is clearly advantageous over prior limited-size, module-type, constructions, often factory-fabricated and transported to site as complete units, and its ease and economy of implementation should be readily apparent from prior discussion of preferred component parts.

However, other points meriting emphasis include the preferred end termination of such runs of heat-mover by way of an end-plate carrying one-half of an intermediate said member or, and even more advantageously, one of said other plates or sheets lapped at its bent edge portion exteriorly over a lower end-plate and itself lapped over by an upper end-plate.

Also, erection and integrity of construction is further facilitated in a highly economical manner by the use of securement plates or sheets fixed between baffles of each lowermost member and extending upwardly at least for securementthereto of edge portions of flanking ones of the intermediate members. Such securement plates or sheets can also have slotting therein for reception and location of at least the baffle extensions of the uppermost members, if not also the downturned edge portions of the other plates or sheets of those members. The securement plates or sheets may also support the inclined sides ofthe latter. In this way, securement together is particularly readily achieved, for example by pop-rivetting to flanges of the securement plates or sheets, and with most satisfactory overall rigidity.

Specific implementation of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure lisa view taken along part of the length of a heat-mover showing trough membes 10 and baffles 30; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing fixings at one side of the heat-mover of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing fixing at an intermediate position; Figure 4 is a perspective view modified to show drainage; and Figures 5 and 6shows installations to a pitched roof.

In the drawings, particularly Figure 1, a lowermost set of trough-members 1 0A are each of truncated V-section with a flat bottom 11 and upwardly divergent sides 12,13 terminating in outwardly bent edge portions 14, 15, respectively. Their bottoms 11 extend over and are supported by beams 16 which may be in side frameworks-that can also conveniently include other supports 17 and 18 for the sides 12, 13. An intermediate height set of trough members lOB are of the same size and shape as the members 10A and are similarly supported on horizontal beams or rails 19 say of side frameworks, though a preferred support system will be described later with reference to Figures 2 and 3. These trough members 1 0A and 1 0B act as gutters that drain water away through the side frameworks and their claddings.

It will be noted that the trough members lOB are staggered relative to those 10A and their bent-out side edge portions 14,15 overlap in vertical planes.

An uppermost set of trough-members 10C are of general V-section formed of two plates or sheets 21, 22 that diverge upwardly from a drainage gap 23 between them. A lower edge portion 24 of plate or sheet 21 is bent downwardly, and the plate or sheet on 22 is also bent but with a substantially longer downward extension that comprises one of a first series of baffles 30A. Upper edge portions 25,26 of the plates or sheets 21,22 are also bent outwardly in a similar manner to edge portions 14, 15 of the trough members 10A and lOB.

It will be noted that the baffles 30A actually extend right down to the level of the bottoms of the trough-members lOB, i.e. onto the beams 19, and that side frame supports 26,27 are shown for the plates or sheets 21,22 in like manner for sides of the trough-members 10A and lOB.

Another series of generally vertical baffles is shown at 30B as, in effect, upward extensions from the edge portion bends 31,32 of the sides 12, 13 of the trough-members 10A to which those baffles are secured directly at bent end portions 33,34 and supported by side frame parts 35,36. Upper edge portions 37,38 of the baffles 30B are also shown bent to outward, upward divergence.

It will be noted that the baffles 30B are actually of about the same size as the plates or sheets 21 of the upper trough-members 10C, but with upper ends bent different sides. That leads to most advantageous economy of component parts comprising only one for the trough-members 10A, 1 Ob, two for the plates or sheets 21 and 22, and one for the baffles 30B. Also, parts of each type nest together for handling and transportation, and stacks of the baffles 30B and plates or sheets 21 will also partially nest one to the other.

The trough-members 1 OC are each of similar overall width to the trough-members 1 OA and lOB, and are directly in register with the lowermost trough-members 10A. It follows, that the trough- members 10C and 10B cooperate in preventing any direct vertical drop-through of rain water, as also do the trough-members 1 0A and 10B. Furthermore, any obliquely driven raindrops that pass the outer edges of both of the trough-members 1 0C and 1 0B must strike either the baffles 30A or the baffles 30B, in the latter case substantially below their upper edges, see trajectory line 40.

The overall positioning and dimensions of the troughs and baffles is such that upward air move ment between the past the troughs and baffles is never subject to an air path constriction of less than a predetermined amount repesented by the equal dimensions labelled X in the drawing. Furthermore, those minimum spacings X occur only at highly localised positions, i.e. ends of bent edge portions of the trough-members, and the actual spacings of the vertical extents of the baffles 30B are greater between trough-members 10Athan within those trough-members by 5-10%. It follows that close to 50%, actually about 45%, of the total heat-mover area is, in effect, available for air movement, minima being localised and caused by the dimension 2X being slightly less, by 3 to 7%, than the width Y between the baffles 30B within the trough-members 10A.

We have discussed obstruction of direct paths for raindrops and now turn to secondary water drops formed from impact of direct raindrops on the baffles of sides of the trough-members. Simple spattering or bouncing involving mainly breaking up of the direct raindrops is no great problem as the droplets so formed maywell be light enough to be carried upwards by exiting air or will scatter at low energy and drop into the trough-members 10C.

Greater problems occur with very heavy rain when large rain drops can have a great amount of energy, say in tropical storms of 15 cms/hour or more. Then, heavy wetting of the baffles and trough sides can result in the displacement by incident raindrops of large further water drops that, hitherto, using heat movers with only two stages of fairly shallow trough members, have resulted in substantial leakage into the building served. That has been due both to splashing from the bottom trough-members, and perhaps also displacement from outer sides of at least the upper trough members of large further water drops at a low angle to those sides causing them to fly over edges of the bottom trough members.Our baffles 30B ensure that no splashing from the lowermost trough-members can occur, and the baffles 30A intercept any water drops displaced from above them and ensure that any displaced from the baffles 30Athemselves will fall onto or between the baffles 30B. The baffles 30A actually stop short of the baffles 30B but could extend thereto or there between a desired, and might then permit use of baffles 30B of lower height.

It should be evident that our illustrated heat-mover can be built on-site to any desired length, i.e.

number of trough-members and baffles.

Ends of the heat-mover are readily closed off as shown at the left hand side of the drawing where a lower end-plate or sheet 50 has a plate or sheet 21' (similar to plates or sheets 21 of the upper trough members 1 0B) bent over its upper edge at 51. An upper end-plate or sheet 52 then overlaps both the upper edge of the lower plate or sheet 50 and the bent-over edge portion of the plate or sheet 21'. The overall height of the end closure 50, 52, which will be the same as for sides thereof such as cladding of side framework is shown to have an extension above the upper trough-members 10C of about 10% of the total height, which need not exceed 7 metres for satisfactory operation along a ridge vent of little less width than the heat-mover itself.The entire heatmover is light-weight compared with conventional ridge ventilators and of lower overall height, thus presenting less loading on the roof served both due to its weight and its possible wind-loading.

Dampers for closing off the illustrated heat-mover will advantageously be at the upper parts thereof where they are most readily accessible, and may be of a louvre form within the excess height of the shrouding above the upper trough members 10C.

Finally, for Figure 1 we mention the possibility of erection using plates or sheets 60 that affix by flanging to the baffles 30B and edge portions 14B, 15B, and accommodate the baffles 30A in slots 61.

All such flange securements may be made simply by using pop-rivets or self-tapping screws and result in a very readily made and rigid assembly.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, we show particularly preferred support arrangements using (Figure 2) side sheets 70 stiffened by top and bottom inturned flanges 71,72 and having angle members 16A, 19A and 73A affixed thereto to support the bottoms of trough members 1 OA, the bottoms of trough members lOB and baffles 30A, and the tops of troughs 10B, respectively. It will be appreciated that the side sheet at the other side of the heatmover will be similar save for drain outlets for the troughs 10Aand 10B. Beams 16B and 19B are also shown (Figure 3) for at least one intermediate support arrangement of the heat-mover together with inclined beams 17A for the sides of troug hs 1 OA and plate 60A with flanges 74, 75 for securement to the baffles 30B and lugs 76, 78 for securement to the sides of troughs 10B.It will be noted that ends of the sides of troughs 1 OA and 1 0B and the baffles 30B are turned to form flanges for securement to the side plates 70 inwardly of those troughs 10A, lOB.

Furthermore, the ends of the sides of troughs 30C are turned outwardly thereof to form side plate securement flanges. All these flanges are readily formed by turning and bending on site and thus further facilitate erection.

Test results have indicated improved discharge coefficients, despite the use of three stages of trough members rather than two. Those tests actually indicated an improvement from little more than 0.2 on the overall area to more than 0.3, i.e. something in excess of 30% and with excellent weathering characteristics.

Figure 4 shows the troughs lOB and 1 OC extended through cut-outs 82, 83 in the side-wall sheet 70', all but the flanges 14, 15 to avoid slitting, for drainage purposes. A suitable sealant mastic will be applied between the troughs 1 OB, 1 0C and adjacent edges of the cut-outs, 82, 83. Support for the sides of at least the troughs 1 OC is indicated (84) as being to flaps 85, 86 bent out of the cut outs 82,83. Figure 4 also shows the bottom support beam 1 6C for the troughs 10C as inverted relative to Figures 2 and 3, the better to serve in affixing of the heat-mover to a boundary frame or edging purlins of the vent to be serviced.

Figure 5 shows a heat-mover 90 applied to a ridge vent between heat-mover supports 91,92. Side sheeting of the heat-mover 90 is indicated as extended downwardly and weathered at flashings 93,94 onto the roof pitch claddings. Clearly, other weathering alternatives are possible without direct extension of the side sheeting.

Figure 6 shows two heat movers 90A, 90B applied one to each side of a ridge vent or a pair of ridge vents extending between remote sides of the heatmovers that are shown weathered atflashings 96,97 onto the roof pitch claddings and weathered at flashing 98 between the heat movers 90A, 90B.

It will be appreciated that the heat-mover 90 of Figure 5 is conveniently provided with drainage from troughs lOB and 10C onto both roof pitches, i.e.

connected as in Figure 4through gaps in both side wall sheets of the heat-mover. However, the heatmover of Figure 6 will have such drainage only through lower sidewall sheet of the heat-movers 90A, 90B, the other sides being as in Figure 2.

Reverting to Figure 2, it will be noted that the side-wall sheet 70 is shown extending at one side beyond ends of the bearers 16A, 19A and 73A. Such construction allows overlapping with other side-wall sheets. It will be appreciated that such bearers may extend to some extent, less than the desired overlap, beyond the other end edge of the sheet 70. However, as an angled coupling is envisaged between the bearers and over end portions thereof, that extension of the bearers is to be considered as entirely optional. In fact, those bearers may always end short of the sheets 70 so as to allow ready accommodation of vertical corner and/or intermediate posts, which are all that are required for adequated stiffness and rigidity of the side-walls themselves due to contribution from the sheets 70 themselves.

Claims (24)

1. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus comprising substantially vertical side-walls in substantially parallel spaced relation and serving to flank opposite sides of a substantially rectangular or elongate vent, sets of downwardly convergent-sided trough-orgully-shaped members extending at different heights between said side-walls, the members of each said set being spaced along said side-walls with spacings between members of a lower said set being covered by the overlying members of a higher said set to obstruct vertical fal l-through of water drops, baffles also extending between said side walls and down those side walls at spaced positions whereat to obstruct obliquely driven water drops.

2. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said baffles are in at least one series extending from tops of sides of said lower set of members in orderto obstruct splashing therefrom.

3. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said series of baffles extend substantially vertically upwardly from top edges of the members of said lower set.

4. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein said baffles 1, 2 or 3, wherein said baffles are in at least one or a further series, extending downwards above said lower set of members and past tops of said higher set.

5. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the last-mentioned baffles extend substantially vertically from drainage gaps in a third and uppermost set of said members that cover spacings between the members of said higher set.

6. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 5, whereas said uppermost members are of gap-bottomed substantially V-section.

7. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said members of said lower and said higher sets have closed-bottoms, and drainage outlets through said side walls.

8. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said members of said lower and said higher sets have a substantially truncated V-section.

9. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to outwardly bent upper edge portions.

10. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 9 with claim 3, wherein top edge portions of the baffles extending from top edges of said lower set are outwardly bent.

11. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein maximum widths of all of said members above their edge portion bends exceed those of the spacings between the members of the next lower said set, which spacings themselves exceed the interior widths below their edge portion bends of those said members which cover those spacings.

12. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus comprising substantially vertical side-walls in substantially parallel spaced relation and serving to flank opposite sides of a substantially rectangular or elongate vent, three sets of downwardly convergent-sided troughor-gully-shaped members extending, each set at a different height, between the side-walls in overall spaced staggered relation, and two series of downwardly directed baffles extending between the sidewalls in spaced staggered relation, one series from gapped bottoms of the uppermost set of said members past edges of the intermediate set of said members, and the other series between lowermost and intermediate said sets from edges of the lowermost set of said members.

13. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 12, wherein basic stackable elements for said members and comprise a first element for closed-bottom said members of the lowermost and intermediate said sets, and two elements for said gapped-bottomed members, one of which extends to afford said baffles of said one series.

14. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein all of said elements have their edges portions bent outwardly as fitted between said side-walls.

15. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a further basic element similar to the other of said two elements for said gapped-bottomed members save for the direction of its end-portion bend that is uppermost when fitted between said side-walls.

16. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein end portions of sloping sides of all of said members and baffles are bent and secured to said side-walls.

17. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claims 13 to 16, wherein supporting frame-works for said side-walls include horizontal beams or rails supporting bottoms of said lowermost and intermediate members and having tops of said uppermost members secured thereto, respectively.

18. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, further horizontal beams or rails extend and serve similarly at at least one position intermediate said side-walls.

19. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the or each further horizontal beam or rail supporting the bottom of the intermediate said members also has secured thereto plates each slotted to locate one of the baffles formed as extension of said one of said two elements, which plates each have bent edge portions secured to pairs of the other baffles associated with an underlying said lowermost member.

20. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said plates further have extensions of their bent edge-portins further bent to be secured to sloping sides of flanking said intermediate members.

21. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to claim 18, 19 or 20, wherein the or each further horizontal beam or rail supporting the bottom of said lowermost members carries angled supports for sloping sides of those lowermost members.

22. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein at least one end-wall is spaced from the nearest said uppermost and lowermost members and comprises an upper wall part with an exterior edge overlap of a lower wall part, said overlap sandwiching a bent edge portion of an inclined plate or sheet at the height of said intermediate members and extending inclined away from said end-wall over the space to said nearest uppermost said lowermost members.

23. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein side inclinations of all of said members are at substantially 45 .

24. Heat-mover ventilation apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.