GB2579379A

GB2579379A - Pipe seal

Info

Publication number: GB2579379A
Application number: GB1819474.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Ward Derek
Original assignee: Intumescent Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Intumescent Systems Ltd
Priority date: 2018-11-29
Filing date: 2018-11-29
Publication date: 2020-06-24
Also published as: GB201819474D0

Abstract

Apparatus for preventing or inhibiting passage of smoke and/or flames through an opening 12 in a wall separating two adjoining rooms or enclosed spaces of a building. First non-flammable collars 16 are secured one to each side of the wall about a periphery of the opening and lie in contact with or adjacent to an external periphery of ventilation ducting 10. A closure means 18 is connected by hinges 24 to each collar or a support structure adjacent the respective collar. In a first position, the closure means rests on an external surface of the ducting such that upon destruction of the ducting due to fire the closure means moves automatically to a second position thereby closing the opening. The closure means comprises a second non-flammable collar 24 whose rim in the first position lies in contact with the outer surface of the ventilation ducting and which in the second position overlies the first non-flammable collar. The closure means may be urged by one or more springs 28 into the first and second positions and may comprise one or more closure members.

Description

PIPE SEAL

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to apparatus for preventing the passage of fire and smoke through wall mounted flammable ventilation ducting of a building.

Background to the invention

The use of flammable ventilation ducting produced from a variety of plastics materials such as polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride is widespread. The internal diameter of such ducting can vary significantly depending on the volume of ventilation air required. Where significant volumes of ventilation air are required, diameters typically range from 100mm to 1200mm.

Ventilation ducting conventionally comprises continuous runs of flammable plastics ducting which passes between numerous adjoining rooms and enclosed spaces though suitably dimensioned through-holes formed in the walls separating such rooms and spaces.

A major problem with such ventilation systems is that in the event of a fire occurring in one room or enclosed space, the flammable plastics ventilation ducting rapidly melts enabling smoke and flames to pass through the now exposed wall opening to an adjoining room until, quite rapidly, the entire building is filled with smoke and fumes and on fire.

Occasionally the internal surfaces of ventilation ducting are coated with a lining of a material which intumesces in the event of fire. However, with larger diameter ducting, there is often insufficient time for the material to intumesce sufficiently to prevent the passage of smoke and flames from one room to an adjoining room.

Our corresponding UK Patent Application GB1816807.0 concerns apparatus for preventing or inhibiting the passage of smoke and/or flames through an opening formed in a wall separating two adjoining rooms or enclosed spaces of a building within which flammable ventilation ducting is located. This apparatus comprises an inflammable collar secured one to each side of said wall about the periphery of each said opening and dimensioned whereby its internal periphery lies in contact with or closely adjacent to the external periphery of said ventilation ducting, and closure means connected through hinges to each inflammable collar (or a support structure adjacent thereto). The closure means is moveable automatically from an initial position in which its end remote from the respective hinges rests against the external surface of said ducting and a second position in which, following destruction of the ducting in the event of a fire, it closes said opening.

The present invention provides similar apparatus to that 25 disclosed in this co-pending application.

As for our earlier application, the present invention sets out to provide apparatus which responds rapidly in the event of a fire to seal off ventilation passageways located in walls of adjoining rooms and spaces.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect, the present invention provides apparatus for preventing or inhibiting the passage of smoke anc/or flames through an opening formed in a wall separating two adjoining rooms or enclosed spaces of a building within which flammable ventilation ducting is located, the apparatus comprising a first inflammable collar secured one to each side of said wall about the periphery of each said opening and dimensioned whereby its internal periphery lies in contact with or closely adjacent to the external periphery of said ventilation ducting, and closure means connected through hinges to each inflammable collar (or a support structure adjacent thereto), said closure means being moveable automatically from an initial position in which its end remote from the respective hinges rests against the external surface of said ducting and a second position in which, following destruction of the ducting in the event of a tire, it closes said opening, each said closure means further comprising a second inflammable collar whose rim initially lies in contact with the outer surface of said ventilation ducting and which is dimensioned to overlie said first inflammable collar in the event of a fire.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which the sole figure is a side view of one example of apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The illustrated apparatus includes a length of conventional ventilation ducting 10 protruding from one side of a through-5 hole 12 formed in a partition wall 14 between a room or enclosed space "A" and an adjoining room or enclosed space. Typically, such ducting is produced from a highly flammable plastics material such as polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride, the internal diameter of the ducting typically being between 100mm 10 and 1200mm.

The ducting 10 may be of circular, rectangular or other cross-section.

Located around the periphery of the ducting as it emerges from each side of the wall is a metallic collar 16 which is secured 15 to the wall 14 by any conventional means and whose open end defines a close fit with the external surface of the ducting 10.

Supported on the ventilation ducting and adjacent the end of the collar 16 is a closure member 18. The member 18 is connected through hinges 20 to a spar 22 secured to and supported by the 20 wall 14.

Secured to the underside of the closure member 18 is a collar 24 whose shape conforms with that of the ducting. The collar 24 is open on its side adjacent to the ducting 10.

As shown, the dimensions of the closure member 18 are marginally less than the respective dimensions of the ducting 10 whereby, when folded about the hinges 20, it will entirely locate within and cover the open end of the opening 12 and define a seal which prevents the passage of smoke and flames from one room or confined space to the other. Also, the dimensions of the collar 24 are marginally less than the dimensions of the collar 16 whereby it locates within the end of the collar 16 to entirely close the wall opening.

In an alternative arrangement, the diameter of the collar 24 is marginally greater than that of the collar 16.

The internal and/or external surfaces are preferably coated with a material which intumesces in the event of fire or excessive heat.

One or more springs may be provided to urge the closure member 18 into contact with the ventilation ducting 10 and, in the 10 event of a fire, to assist movement of the closure member to close off the exposed end of the ventilation ducting.

In use, should a fire break out within the room or enclosed space "A", the ducting 10 will swiftly be destroyed to enable the closure member 18 to pivot about the hinges 20 to move into firm contact with the collar 16 to close the exposed end of the ducting 10 and the through-hole 12.

All metallic components of the described apparatus may be coated with an intumescent coating and/or an intumescent coated quilt of ceramic or rockwall material.

For conventional plastics ducting of smaller diameters it is known to coat the inner surfaces of the ducting or through-hole with an intumescent material which rapidly expands in the event of fire to completely fill the through-hole and thereby prevent the passage of smoke and fire to an adjoining room or enclosed space. However, for ducting for conveying higher volumes of air and therefore larger diameters, the time taken for an intumescent material to react to entirely fill the ducting interior to prevent the egress of smoke and flames is too long to prevent the spread of fire and smoke to an adjoining room or enclosed space. This problem is overcome by means of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of apparatus for preventing or inhibiting the passage of smoke and/or flames in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for preventing or inhibiting the passage of smoke and/or flames through an opening formed in a wall separating two adjoining rooms or enclosed spaces of a building within which flammable ventilation ducting is located, the apparatus comprising a first inflammable collar secured one to each side of said wall about the periphery of each said opening and dimensioned whereby its internal periphery lies in contact with or closely adjacent to the external periphery of said ventilation ducting, and closure means connected through hinges to each inflammable collar (or a support structure adjacent thereto), said closure means being moveable automatically from an initial position in which its end remote from the respective hinges rests against the external surface of said ducting and a second position in which, following destruction of the ducting in the event of a fire, it closes said opening, each said closure means further comprising a second inflammable collar whose rim initially lies in contact with the outer surface of said ventilation ducting and which is dimensioned to overlie said first inflammable collar in the event of a fire.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the closure means is urged by springs into contact with said external surface of the ventilation ducting.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said closure means comprises a single closure member whose dimensions are greater than the respective dimensions of the ducting.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the closure means comprises two or more closure members whose combined dimensions are greater than the respective dimensions of the ducting.