GB2123684A - Radiator shelves - Google Patents

Abstract

A radiator shelf comprising a shelf part 12 and first and second 1 bracket means 15, 17, 24 whereby said shelf part can be secured in position above a radiator 10 in use, said bracket means each including an attachment portion 5 whereby the bracket means is secured to said shelf part, and a securing portion 21, 31 whereby the bracket means is flxed in use in relation to said radiator, and each said bracket means being adjustable to effect control over the spacing of said shelf part from said fixing portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Radiator shelves This invention relates to shelves for fitting above central heating radiators, both to provide a useful surface and to deflect air way from a wall or other surface above the radiator.

Even where a radiator is placed below a window it is useful to provide a shelf since this deflects the air away from the window and into the space to be heated. Curtains tend otherwise to channel the heat into the area between the curtains and the window.

However where a radiator is positioned below a window, the gap between the top of the radiator and an overhanging window sill is often very limited, frequently precluding the fitting of those types of radiator shelf which have to be mounted by lowering them downwardly relatively to the top of the radiator, or by similar vertical movement.

It is the object of this invention to provide a radiator shelf which can be easily fitted, even where access above the radiator is limited.

According to the invention there is provided a radiator shelf comprising a shelf part and first and second bracket means whereby said shelf part can be secured in position above a radiator in use, said bracket means each including an attachment portion whereby the bracket means is secured to said shelf part, and a securing portion whereby the bracket means is fixed in use in relation to said radiator, and each said bracket means being adjustable to effect control over the spacing of said shelf part from said fixing portion.

Preferably said fixing portion of each bracket means is adjustable at least in part relative to the remainder of said bracket means to effect said control over said spacing.

Desirably each said bracket means is pivotally attached to said shelf part to be swivelable between a horizontal or rear horizontal folded position relative to the shelf part and a vertical operable position.

Conveniently said fixing portion of each bracket means includes a wall engaging member and a radiator engaging member, said members being movable, by a screw adjuster away from one another to effect a clamping action between the radiator and the wall behind the radiator.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a radiator shelf positioned adjacent to a radiator immediately prior to fitting, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the shelf shown in place in relation to a radiator, and Fig. 3 is a scrap view in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a central heating radiator 10 of the panel type located and fitted adjacent to a wall indicated at 11 in Fig. 2. Although such a panel type radiator is shown the invention is applicable to radiators of other kinds including column type radiators and radiators which include two panels and a series of fins disposed between them for dissipating heat in a more efficient manner.

A shelf is mounted above the radiator and in Fig. 2 is shown in such mounted position.

The shelf comprises a shelf part including a panel 12 fitted into extrusions 13, 14 which provide depending edges at least at the front and rear of the shelf part. In this example the extrusion 14 which serves to provide the front depending edge is curved around the end and meets the rear extrusion 1 3.

The front extrusion in this example has two parallel channels on one side, one of the channels containing the edge of the panel 12. The front face may be ribbed to provide a decorative appearance.

The rear extrusion defines a shallow groove to retain the opposite edge of the panel 12 and it has a curved front face which serves to deflect rising hot air away from the wall 11. There is however between the extrusion 1 3 and the wall 11 a compression seal 1 3a fitted into a shallow groove in the rear face of the rear extrusion 13.

At suitable positions along the length of the shelf are bracket assemblies one of which is shown in the drawings. In a typical shelf there are two such bracket assemblies situated spaced from but near the two opposite ends respectively.

The bracket assembly is mounted on a support bar 1 5 which is carried in the front and rear extrusions 13, 14 and lies below and parallel to the panel 12. At the front end the bar 1 5 is engaged in the other of the slots in the front extrusion 14 and the other end of the bar is engaged in a hole passing through the rear extrusion 1 3. In the shallow groove containing the seal 1 3a the end of this bar is of reduced diameter and carries a spring locking washer or other fitting indicated at 1 6 to retain this end in the extrusion 1 3.

The bracket assembly is pivotally mounted on the bar and has an extruded component 1 7 having two integral lugs 18, 1 9 which engage over the bar 1 5. The component 1 7 is shorter than the support bar 1 5 so that it can move to a limited extent lengthwise of the bar 1 5 as well as swivelling about its axis.The component 1 7 is generally L-shaped having the two lugs 18, 19 on one arm and near the junction of the two arms there is an external transverse step formed by a small projection 20 which locates against the rear extrusion 13 of the shelf part when the component 1 7 is in its rear most position and serves to retain the bracket assembly against rotation relatively to the support bar 1 5. This also serves to secure the shelf firmly against the wall, compressing the seal 1 3a.

A further portion of the component 1 7 extends downwardly in a position of use as shown and has a tapered extremity 21 of which the rear face abuts against the wall 11 in use. There is step in this portion of the component 17 so that the portion adjacent to the junction of the two arms is stepped away from the wall. This portion has an elongated slot 22 and on the rear face there are indicator marks 23 in the form of horizontal lines.

Extending generally parallel with the support bar 1 5 and forming part of the bracket assembly is a slotted tubular part 24. This may be formed from a tube, as shown, or it may be a slotted diecasting or the like. Within this is a screwed bar 25 rotatably journalled in a pair of bushes 26, 27 which are non-rotatably secured in the two opposite ends of the tube 24. The bush 26 has a stepped bore with the smaller portion being screw threaded to receive a screw 28 passing through the slot 22 in the component 17. Between the screw 28 and the face of the arm of the component 1 7 is a spring washer which enables the tube 24 and screwed bar 25 to be moved up or down the slot but normally to be frictionally held against such movement.The slot 22 enables the position of the tube 24 to be adjusted relatively to the support bar 1 5 and therefore to the top surface of the shelf panel 1 2 as may be required.

The screwed bar 25 which passes through the centre of the tube 24 has lock nuts or a locking collar 29 at one side of the bush 27 at the outer end of the tube 24 and on the end of the screwed bar beyond the front end of the bush 27 is a knurled knob 30. It is possible by means of the knurled knob 30 to rotate the screwed rod 25 within the tube 24. Engaged by its screw threads onto the screwed rod 25 is an arm 31 to engage the rear face of the radiator 1 0. Lengthwise guiding of the arm 31 relatively to the tube 24 is achieved by the slot in the tube through which the arm 31 extends. Thus rotation of the screwed rod 25 serves to move the arm 31 towards and away from the downward arm of the component 17 of the bracket assembly. As shown in Fig. 1 the tube 24 may be other than circular section.

In order to fit the radiator shelf above the radiator the following steps are carried out.

Assuming that there is no obstruction above the radiator for a distance at least equal to the total length of the bracket assembly in its downward position as shown the shelf can be lowered vertically towards the radiator to engage both the downwardly extending portion of the component 1 7 and also the arm 31 behind the radiator 10 and between it and the adjacent wall 11. The arm 31 may have to be adjusted towards the downwardly extending portion of the component 1 7 in order to provide clearance behind the radiator for the arm 31.

The arm 31 is moved forwardly by rotating the screwed rod 25 by means of the knurled knob 30 until a tight grip is obtained. In this condition as shown in Fig. 2 the rear extrusion 13 has its seal 13e bearing against the wall and the tapered lower extremity of the partial arm of the component 1 7 is also bearing against the wall. At the same time the arm 31 is pressed firmly against the rear face of the radiator 10. The component 1 7 holds the shelf firmly back against the wall.

Prior to fitting of the shelf in position the height of the shelf relative to the radiator is adjusted by raising or lowering the tube 24 and screwed rod 25 relative to the component 1 7 in the slot 22, thus bringing the shelf to the required vertical position.

If access above the radiator is limited, for example, by the existence of a window sill closely above the top edge of the radiator it is possible to fit the radiator shelf in the following manner. The height adjustment having been set, the bracket assemblies are rotated about their support bars 1 5 so that they are substantially wholly contained within the space defined by the downwardly depending front and rear extrusions 1 3, 1 4 of the shelf part. The rear edge of the shelf is then inserted between the sill and the top of the radiator and when the shelf is in the correct position the bracket assemblies are allowed to swivel downwardly again ensuring that the arm 31 is moved rearwardly by a distance sufficient to allow it to pass behind the radiator 10.When the correct position of the bracket assemblies has been reached, the arms 31 are moved forwardly by means of the screwed rods 25 using the knurled knob 30 until again the correct grip is obtained between the wall and the radiator to hold the shelf firmly in place.

In this example the underneath surface of the panel 12 of the radiator part may have foil or other reflective material to resist absorption of heat by the radiator shelf.

With the arrangement described it is possible to position the radiator shelf vertically in an optimum position relative to a radiator which may vary depending upon the efficiency of heat dissipation of the radiator itself. With radiators having heat deflecting or dissipating fins between separated panels a greater gap is desirable between the top of the radiator and the shelf than is the case with rather less efficient radiators of the single panel or column type.

It will be understood that other shelf constructions may be used with the type of bracket assembly described, for example rather than having depending edges the shelf part could be formed from a thicker material and could have recesses within which the support bars 1 5 are received.

Claims (9)

1. A radiator shelf comprising a shelf part and first and second bracket means whereby said shelf part can be secured in position above a radiator in use, said bracket means each including an attachment portion whereby the bracket means is secured to said shelF part, and a securing portion whereby the bracket means is fixed in use in relation to said radiator, and each said bracket means being adjustable to effect control over the spacing of said shelf part from said fixing portion.

2. A shelf as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixing portion of each bracket means is adjustable at least in part relative to the remainder of said bracket means to effect said control over said spacing.

3. A shelf as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each said bracket means is pivotally attached to said shelf part to be swivelable between a horizontal or rear horizontal folded position relative to the shelf part and a vertical operable position.

4. A shelf as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said fixing portion of each bracket means includes a wall engaging member and a radiator engaging member, said members being movable, by a screw adjuster away from one another to effect a clamping action between the radiator and the wall behind the radiator.

5. A shelf as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said spacing control is afforded by movement of said radiator engaging member of each bracket relative to the remainder of the bracket.

6. A shelf as claimed in claim 5 wherein said radiator engaging member of each bracket is carried by the wall engaging member of that bracket and is adjustable in position along the length of an elongate slot in the respective wall engaging member, said slot extending vertically in use.

7. A shelf as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein each bracket and said shelf part include surfaces which, when the shelf is in use, coact to resist pivotal movement of said bracket relative to said shelf part.

8. A shelf as claimed in claim 7 wherein each bracket is capable of limited movement relative to the shelf part in the direction of its axis of pivotal movement and includes a surface which, when the bracket is in its vertical operative position relative to the shelf part and has been moved in the direction of its axis of pivotal movement by engagement of the rear edge of the shelf part with the wall and said radiator engaging member with the radiator, abuts a corresponding surface of the shelf part to resist pivotal movement of the bracket about said axis.

9. A radiator shelf substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.