IE43285B1 - Improvements in or relating to ventilators - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a ventilator and, more particularly, 1;o a ventilator for fitting within the glazing aperture of a window.

In this specification the term ventilator is used to mean an assembly that can be assembled with or mounted on means defining an enclosed space, which assembly defines a ventilation passage through which air may flow into or out of said enclosed space.

The invention, in some embodiments, relates to a ventilator which is of the kind comprising an elongate hood member and an elongate plate member disposed in spaced relationship so as to define a ventilation passage extending lengthwise between them. One of said members may be furnished with a glazing channel for the reception of window glazing so that the ventilator may be secured within the glazing aperture of a window frame. However, the invention also relates, in its broader aspects, to ventilators which are not so adapted to be mounted in a window frame.

The object of the present invention is to provide a ventilator having an effective means for closing the ventilation passage when desired.

According to the broadest aspect of this invention there is provided a ventilator comprising members defining a ventilation passage, a shutter mounted within said passage and pivotally movable between two positions, the ventilation passage being open when the shutter is in one said position and being closed when the shutter is in the other said position, there being a leaf spring engaging with a portion 4328S of a free edge of said shutter and adapted to bias the shutter to the closed position and the open position respectively when the shutter is moved past a dead-centre position towards said closed position and past said dead-centre position towards said open position, the leaf spring being mounted in cantilever manner so that the shutter only engages part of the leaf spring which is to one side of a point at which the leaf spring is mounted.

Advantageously, the leaf spring may have an arcuate or angular form, and the shutter may contact the leaf spring adjacent the free end thereof when in one of said positions and a point between the ends thereof when in the other of said positions.

Conveniently a fly screen may be provided extending across the ventilation passage and advantageously a baffle may be provided adjacent and outside one end of said ventilation passage.

Most conveniently the ventilator may be of the type comprising an elongate hood member and an elongate plate member disposed in spaced relationship so as to define said ventilation passage extending lengthwise between them, one of said members being furnished with a channel for the reception of glazing, and both said members being adapted to be secured within the glazing aperture of a window frame.

Most advantageously the plate member may be provided with slots or apertures for accommodating screws or the like for securing the ventilator to said window frame.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a ventilator in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of part of the ventilator of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a draw cord housing provided on the ventilator; Figure 4 is a further sectional view of the draw cord housing; and Figure 5 is a sectional view of the ventilator showing the action of the spring.

Throughout the drawings like references refer to like parts.

An embodiment of a ventilator in accordance with the present invention as illustrated in Figure 1 comprises an elongate hood member 1 which is formed as an extrusion of aluminium and an elongate plate member 2. The hood member 1 comprises a horizontal portion 3, to the rear of which is a downwardly depending portion 4 defining a hood and to the front of which is a vertically upwardly extending portion 5. The vertically upwardly extending portion 5 is intended to be located adjacent part of a window frame so that the hood is located within the glazing opening of the frame. The plate member 2 is in spaced relationship with the hood member, the plate member being an extrusion of aluminium and having a generally planar portion which is co-planar with Said upwardly extending portion. The hood and plate together define a ventilation passage. The plate member 2 is provided with 43385 apertures or slots (not shown in Figure 1) for accommodating screws to enable the ventilator to be secured to the window frame. The hood member 1 and the plate member 2 are secured together by means of end pieces 6 which are appropriately shaped, and the assembly is held together by means of screws, rivets or the like.

Provided on the plate member 2 is a glazing channel 7 which is formed by a downwardly extending portion 8 which is parallel with but spaced from the plate member and is secured thereto by a web 9. The width of the glazing channel 7 may be any convenient distance such as, for example, 10, 20 or 30 mm. Thus, it will be appreciated that the glazing channel 7 can accommodate single or double glazing. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the glazing channel could be provided on the hood element 1.

Where the ventilator is of considerable length, i.e. where the ventilator is to be used in a wide window, for the sake of rigidity, further connecting members may be provided to interconnect the hood member 1 and the plate member 2, these further connecting members (not shown) being held in position by means of screws, rivets or the like.

Provided within the hood member 1, and extending from the junction of the horizontal portion 3 and the downwardly depending portion 4 of the hood member 1 to the junction of the plate member 1 and the web 9 supporting the downwardly depending portion 8 defining the glazing channel 7 is a fly screen 10, as illustrated in Figure 1. The fly screen extends across the ventilation passage. The fly screen 10 may be constituted by any suitable material such as, for example, expanded metal, or perforated metal. The fly screen is optional and is not shown in Figures 2 to 5.

If desired a baffle 11 may be provided adjacent one end of the ventilation passage. It is intended that the baffle will be located on the exterior of the enclosed space to protect the ventilation passage from weather such as rain.

The baffle may comprise a generally angular elongate member supported on one or more supports which extend horizontally away from the protected end of the ventilation passage.

Means are provided for closing the ventilation passage which extends between the plate member and the hood element.

The closing means comprises a shutter 12 which is formed as an extrusion of aluminium, the shutter extending across the entire width of the ventilation passage and being controlled by a draw cord 13 which is associated with a control device 14. The precise nature of the means for closing the ventilation passage will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings in which the fly screen 10 and baffle 11 are omitted.

Referring to Figures 2 to 5, the shutter 12 which is adapted to extend across the entire width of the ventilation passage has a planar portion 15 which, in a first oosition of the shutter 12 (shown in phantom in Figure 5) is adapted to be in contact with the underside of the horizontal portion 3 of the hood member 1. This planar portion 15 of the shutter 12 is provided with two axially extending lugs 16, 17 at either end thereof, which lugs engage with plastics material inserts 18, 19 to secure the shutter in position whilst enabling the shutter 12 to pivot, said lugs being accommodated in grooves - 6 43285 , 21 within the inserts 18, 19. The shutter 12 is also provided with a second planar portion 22 which extends at an angle to the first mentioned planar portion 15 and the arrangement is such that when the shutter 12 is in said first position (shown in phantom in Figure 5) the second planar portion 22 extends away from the hood member and downwardly, and thus when the ventilator is fitted in a window the second planar portion 22 of the shutter 12 tends to direct the air downwardly past the interior surface of the plate member 2. The shutter 12 is movable to a second position (shown in solid lines in Figure 5) in which the planar portion 15 of the shutter is at an angle of o approximately 45 to the undersurface of the planar portion 3 of the hood member,and with the shutter in this position the second planar portion 22 of the shutter 12 engages the rear surface of the plate member 2 and the ventilation passage is effectively sealed.

The shutter may be moved from either of said two positions to the other position by means of the draw cord 13 and control device 14 provided at one end of the ventilator. The draw cord control device 14 comprises a housing 23 having either the loop of cord 13 or two discrete cords extending from the lower surface thereof, and on drawing one cord or one cord of the loop the shutter 12 is moved to the opened position, and on drawing the other cord or the other cord of the loop the shutter 12 is moved to the closed position. Provided on the end of the shutter 12 which is located within the housing is a protrusion 24 with an aperture 25 therein, and the cord, or cords, are secured to this protrusion having an aperture by passing the ends of the cord or cords through the aperture and clamping the ends with a metal ring 30 having an external diameter greater than that of the aperture 25. One portion of the cord 13 passes through a further aperture 27 provided within the control device 14 and located· above the shutter so that when that particular cord is pulled the protrusion 24 provided with the aperture on the shutter is moved upwardly, thus opening the shutter 12. Similarly when the other cord is pulled the protrusion 24 on the shutter provided with the aperture is pulled downwardly, thus closing the shutter.

A portion of the second planar part 22 of the shutter 12 within the housing 23 is cut away to provide a recess 26 and a resilient leaf spring 28 is provided within the housing 23, the leaf spring 28 being substantially arcuate in that the spring has two planar portions at an angle to each other.

One end of the spring 28 is secured, to the plate member 2 and the spring is oriented so it generally curves away from the shutter 12, the spring thus being mounted in cantilever manner. Alternatively the leaf spring may be of literally arcuate form.

The leaf spring 28 engages an edge of the recess 26, which edge forms a portion of a free edge of the shutter. When the shutter is in the closed position said edge of the recess 26 of the shutter 12 engages with a portion of the leaf spring 28 between the ends thereof and substantially adjacent the point of connection of the leaf spring to the plate member 2, and the bias of the spring is such that the spring retains the shutter in the closed position. As the shutter is opened the leaf spring is deflected away from the plate member, but the spring and shutter assembly have a dead-centre position and when the shutter has passed the dead-centre position the spring again tends to move towards the plate member and the shutter is biassed to an open position with the planar portion 15 of the shutter substantially firmly in contact with the underside of the horizontal planar portion 3 of the hood member 1. In this position said edge of the recess 26 contacts the spring at a point immediately adjacent the end thereof remote from the fixed end.

The housing 23 is secured in position by means of screws, and a cover plate 29 is provided to give the housing 23 a pleasant appearance.

Whilst the invention has been described above with reference to specific preferred embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that many variations may be made, and in particular the positioning of the glazing channel may be varied, and furthermore the method of actually moving the shutter may be varied. Also more than one glazing channel may be provided.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS :1. A ventilator comprising members defining a ventilation passage, a shutter mounted within said passage and pivotally movable between two positions, the ventilation passage being open when the shutter is in one said position and being closed when the shutter is in the other said position, there being a leaf spring engaging with a portion of a free edge of said shutter and adapted to bias the shutter to the closed position and the open position respectively when the shutter is moved past a dead-centre position towards said closed position and past said dead-centre position towards said open position, the leaf spring being mounted in cantilever manner so that the shutter only engages part of the leaf spring which is to one side of a point at which the leaf spring is mounted.

2. A ventilator according to claim 1 wherein the leaf spring has an arcuate or angular form, the shutter contacting the leaf spring adjacent the free end thereof when in one of said positions and a point between the ends thereof when in the other of said positions.

3. A ventilator according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a fly screen is provided extending across said ventilation passage.

4. A ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a baffle is provided adjacent and outside one end of said ventilation passage.

5. A ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims comprising an elongate hood member and an elongate plate member disposed in spaced relationship so as to define said ventilation passage extending lengthwise between them, one of said members being furnished with a channel for the reception of glazing, and 10 both said members being adapted to be secured within the glazing aperture of a window frame.

6. A ventilator according to claim 5 wherein the plate member is provided with slots or apertures for accommodating screws or 5 the like for securing the ventilator to said window frame.

7. A ventilator substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.