GB2142129A

GB2142129A - Radiator for use in central heating systems

Info

Publication number: GB2142129A
Application number: GB08317156A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth William Bird
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-06-24
Filing date: 1983-06-24
Publication date: 1985-01-09
Also published as: GB2142129B; GB8317156D0

Abstract

A radiator for use in a central heating system comprises at least one section in the form of a rectangular elongate hollow body 10 which is provided on each of two opposite sides with a plurality of spaced heat-radiating fins 11. A cover plate 13 extends across the outer edges of each set of fins to form with said fins a plurality of open ended channels through which can flow air which is heated by a transfer of heat from a hot fluid flowing through the hollow body 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Radiator for use in central heating systems This invention relates to a radiator for use in a central heating system of the kind that employ hot water as the heating medium, the object of the invention being to provide such a radiator in an improved form.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a radiator for use in a central heating system which includes an elongate hollow body of generally rectangular configuration in cross-section, a plurality of spaced heat-radiating fins extending outwardly from each of two opposite sides of said body and a cover plate which extends across the outer edges of the fins on each of said opposite sides of the body to form, with the associated fins, a plurality of openended channels through which in use heated air can flow.

Conveniently, for ease of manufacture, a radiator in accordance with the invention comprises a plurality of elongate hollow bodies (which are connected together) together with associated fins and cover plates.

Preferably, at least some of said fins are formed integrally with said elongate hollow body to form a structure which may be produced in the form of a metallic extrusion. Furthermore, if only some of the fins are formed integrally with the hollow body the remainder of the fins may be integrally formed with the respective cover plates and in this case the cover plate fins are conveniently interposed between the body fins.

In one construction, all of the fins are of the same width, in which case each of said plates will be generally planar configuration. Alternatively, the fins on each of said two opposite sides of the hollow body may be of varying length so that each cover plate assumes, for example, a generally V-shaped configuration.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure lisa plan view of one example of a section which can be used in making up a radiator in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is an end view of a header section which can be used, in conjunction with a plurality of radiator sections such as are shown in Figure 1 to form a radiator in accordance with the invention, and Figure 3 is a plan view showing an alternative form of radiator section for use in forming a radiator in accordance with the present invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings there is shown therein a plan view of one example of a section which can be used to make up a radiator in accordance with the present invention.

The section shown includes an elongate hollow body 10 which is of generally rectangular configuration in cross-section. Furthermore each of the two longer sides of said hollow body is integrally formed with a plurality of fins indicated by reference numeral 11, all of said fins being of equal width and the two sets of fins (namely the sets which are formed respectively on the opposite sides of the hollow body) have an equal number of fins. The two end fins in each set are formed with an outturned lip indicated by reference numeral 12 and conveniently the hollow body 10 together with the integrally formed fins 11 are each manufactured as a metallic extrusion which may be formed for example from an aluminium alloy or from steel.

There is also provided, in association with each set of fins 11 a cover plate 13 which, in the example shown in Figure 1 is of generally planar configuration, except that two opposite edges of each cover plate have an integrally formed flange 14 which is also provided with a lip 15 adapted to engage with the lip 12 formed on the end fins. Thus each cover plate 13 can be slid or sprung into position as shown in Figure 1 and in this position each cover plate will form with the associated fins a plurality of open ended channels which in use will form "chimneys" through which heated air will rise, it being understood that Figure 1 represents a plan view of the radiator section now described.

In forming a complete radiator the aforementioned section shown in Figure 1 would be extruded and cutto any required length and a number of such sections formed in this way would then be connected together end-to-end so that one of the shorter sides of the elongate body 10 of one section would be secured as by means of welding to the adjacent shorter side of the next hollow body 10. The upper ends of the plurality of hollow bodies 10 thus connected together would be covered by an upper header 16 of which an end view is seen in Figure 2, such header being secured along its flanges 16a and 16b as by means of welding to the upper services of the hollow bodies 10.A similar header would be secured to the bottoms of said hollow bodies 10 and in use said headers would be used for a supply and return of hot water to the radiator which comprises the aformentioned assembly of hollow bodies and headers. The fins 11 would thus receive heat by conduction from the hot water flowing through the hollow bodies 10 and air which will then flow upwardly through the aformentioned chimneys formed by the fins 11 and cover plates 13 will be able to flow into the room or other space which is to be heated by the radiator.

Figure 3 shows an alternative section which can be used to form a radiator in accordance with the present invention. There is however provided an elongate hollow body 10 as before which is also formed on each of its two longer sides with a plurality of fins 17 integrally formed with said hollow body 10. In addition there are provided a pair of cover plates 18 and 19 but in this case each cover plate is of generally V-shaped configuration, each of its two opposite vertically extending edges being formed with in inturned lip which is adapted to engage a co-acting outturned lip formed on the adjacent fin as before. As will be seen from Figure 3 however each cover plate 18 and 19 is itself integrally formed with a plurality of fins 20 which project between the fins 17 so that each set of fins is formed alternately ofthe fins 17 and fins 20. This arrangement however again provides a plurality of chim news which are formed by the fins and respective cover plates so that again air heated by the fins will rise from such chimneys to pass into the room or other space which is to be heated. A complete radiator is again made up from a plurality of sections such as are shown in Figure 3 so that there would be a plurality of elongate hollow bodies 10 joined together end-to-end as by means of welding and headers would be added to the top and bottom as is described with reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 above.

It will be appreciated that the use of extruded sections as above described enables an efficient radiator to be built up in a very economical fashion.

Claims

1. A radiatorfor use in a central heating system which includes at least one elongate hollow body of generally rectangular configuration in cross-section, a plurality of spaced heat-radiating fins extending outwardly from each of two opposite sides of said body and a cover plate which extends across the outer edges of the fins on each of said opposite sides of the body to form, with the associated fins, a plurality of open-ended channels through which in use heated air can flow.

2. A radiator as claimed in Claim 1 wherein at least some of said fins are formed integrally with said elongate hollow body to form a structure which is produced in the form of a metallic extrusion.

3. A radiator as claimed in Claim 1 wherein only some of said fins are formed integrally with the hollow body, the remainder of the fins being integrally formed with the respective cover plates.

4. A radiator as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the plate fins are respectively interposed between the body fins.

5. A radiator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein all of the fins are of the same width and each of said plates are of generally planar configuration.

6. A radiator as claimed in any one of the Claims 1-4 wherein the fins on each of the two opposite sides of the body are of varying width which decreases towards each end of the hollow body, each of said cover plates being of generally Vshaped configuration.

7. A radiator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2 ofthe accompanying drawings.