GB2528491A - Air venting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An air venting apparatus comprises of an outer housing 1 formed with a perforated grill 3 at one end, including a tubular cross section able to locate within a similarly shaped opening of a wall, door or ceiling. The apparatus further includes an inner housing 7 of tubular section of lesser diameter to that of the outer housing formed with a perforated grill 9 at one end, being positioned in use within the outer housing, i.e. telescopic. The inner and outer housings are constructed from metal or plastics. The inner surface of the inner housing includes a coating or layer of an intumescent material 17, such as graphite, which in the event of a fire will expand to close off the interior of the venting apparatus. The inner and outer housings may be square or rectangular.

Description

&Cenn3gApnartu

Field of the invention

This inventIon relates to air venting apparatus.

Aitventsere used extensively tcerable air to flow between the opposite sides of, tot example, a door wall orcriing Commonly, at vents are cicated n citehen and bathroom walls ceffligs cit doors to enable steam to pass to, ror example an cdIo m, me'ri r h ax e or ot he resaective u 1ding Such cii tents escentially compose a passageway bordered by a n,ct&l c upon erded Llt)e whose. open ends communicate. with the two spaces to be ventech. Often the open e.ndstnd.ude grlfls through whidi the air passes as it enters and leaves tte vent.

Background to the invention

One problem with these known airvonts is that the well, door or ceiling openings enable smoke or f o to pass qjick v to a n noaring room the'eby causne a ap d spreed ct smoke and fin to the remaining ooms of a nuilding with consequen' ns to ble Some knovn at ventc nr ode hand operatcd rh,jtte's which can be closed to ptevert the passage of air bot tnee o not operate automaticail and are of hrnrted use unless the an b operated manually rmmedatelv following a P re outhreak. Very often there is insufficient tine available to close off an air vent when confronted with a fire situation.

One cbjective of the present invention is to provide air venting apparatus which prevents the spread of smoke.and fre En the event of a fire, occurring.

Staterhentcf invention.

!n one aspect, the invention provides air entihg apparatuswhich includes an outer housing formed with a at one end and including a gene ally tubular section able to locate wrthin sirtnlarly shrpod opening of a wall, door, cedng cir the IKe, ani an inner housing composing a genetafly tubular section of lesser diameter to that of the tubular section of the outer housing and including a grilr at one end, the nrer tubular secton being positioned in use of the apparatus w thin the outer hou ng aid nciud rg a coating ot layer of rntunesrent matenal atourd its nner periphery nicn intumesces in the event of a fire completely to cioseoff the inter!oroftheventing apparatns.

p a'nuthec caper; the inventon orovides air venting apparatus whose rntcrnal surface cat east partially coated with an intumescent material.

des cr tic n of the draw ry Figures 1A and lB are plan views from above of inner and outer housings of airventingapparatus in accordance with the nvennon, and Figure 2 is a side view of the housings iHustrted in Figures 1A and IS during assembly.

Detailed descriotion of a oreferred embodiment of the invention..

The illustrated air venting apparatus i iüt location within a suitably dimensioned openng of genera'ly orcular c ass ectian betwee i the oopositt' de of a door, wajl, reil'ng nz the uc of a building.

As shown, the aft vent comprises an outer cylindrical housing 1 which includes a circular end cap 3 ormed wth a pntorated griP 5 Pie ar vent cIsc' nc.,dec an inner cylindricat housing 7 of marginally smaller dianieterto that of the outer housing to enable the inner housing to slide into and defre a efaivoly dose ft wit" the cute housuig 1 1 ic tier housing also ncludes a orcuiar end cap 9 formed with a perforated grill 11. The end cans 3 U are of larger dIameter than the respective hot sirwis 1, 7 and each defines an end plate 1.3, 15.

1 he inre vial if t e rewr hous.9 7 s roa:d with ayer 17 0r a graphte-'ased riumescent rratenaE n rh expands rapidly ii the event o a lire occurring to f I completely the inter or of the inner housing of the air vent.

The -a'1er 17 rn Wtfl hr a beaned IL( i' of 1ntunescent cloth adnerea to he inner wll 7 coating of an intunescent liquid applied lathe irinerwali 7, a graphite cLintaining paste or indeed any simila' ntumescent contailiing material.

in use,a suitably dImensioned through-hole i drilled or otherwise fo rmed in a wail, door, ceiling or tee like and the outer housing 1 s pushed 1n a the ic e with it3 e id pure 13 in contact the djacert surface of the wall, door; ceiling or the ilke.The housing defines a c*io*sefft within the throughhoie.

The inner housing 7 is thor' pushed into the outer housinp, untiHts arid-plate 15 comes into contact witn the r1ja ent nirfNe of trio we I, door cening ortt ixc mc mncr iousng 7 defines a close fit within the outer heusin.g 1.

In the event of a fire otcurring in one of the rooms or spaces separated by the air vent, the graphite coating rapidly expand to completely "II the ar vent intenor to prevent tne passage of smoke and flames from one side of the wall,*door, ceiling or the like and to prevent the spreadof the fire in an alternative ernbcdlrnentof the invention, the inner and outer cyUndrical housings are of square, rectangular or other c'oss sectio" nd rhe grill openings are square, elongate or other shape.

The inner and outer housings of the air vent are typicaily produceØ from a metal pr plastics material, although other compounds or materials may be employed.

t wI' be undersiood that the foregoing is merely excmplary of air icr ting apparotub in accordance with the inventIon and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing.from the true. tcope of the ihuention as Set out: in the appended ciakns.