NZ248676A - Ventilation flow control: ducting contains length of flexible tubing fixed to the duct at one end and with an adjustable size opening at the other end - Google Patents

Description

-2435 76 Priority Dato(s): Compile Specif-caiion Filed: ciaya: Publication Date: P.O. Journal No: .. mi t PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 1 &4: $340.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION TUBES f I' WE ACME GROUP PTY LIMITED, an Australian company of 164 Beechboro Road, Bays water, Western Australia, Australia hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: i % ' 248676 THIS INVENTION relates to ventilation ducting and in particular relates to a flow control means for use with ventilation ducting.

The invention is intended for use in ventilation ducting which is used in situations such as mines where air is required to be delivered or exhausted i'rom working spaces.

In such instances it often becomes necessary to close off the air flow along a particular line in order to effect servicing along that line or temporarily shut off air flow to or from a particular area, while the flow of air to or from another area must be maintained through the same system of ducting. In addition it may become desirable to restrict the air flow through one line of a ventilation system in order to increase the air flow to other portions of the system. Where the ducting is formed of flexible materials, such as canvas, reinforced plastic sheeting and the like there is a need to quickly and conveniently effect a control of the air flow along the particular line without the need to partially dismantle or cause damage to the ducting by deforming the walls of the ducting.

It is an object of this invention to provide a flow control means that can be used in ventilation ducting which does not require the dismantling of the ducting in a particular area or the need to shut down the air flow to or from a region in order to stop air flow in one line of ducting system.

Accordingly the invention resides in a ventilation ducting element comprising a length of ducting having a first and second end, a length and an internal configuration, said length of ducting adapted at each of said ends to be received within a line of ventilation ducting, the ventilation ducting having an exterior, said length of ducting accommodating a flow control means comprising^^ y length of tubing formed of a flexible sheet material, slid °*% o\, Ui AUG 1995 ^ *"er \ \f 248 6 7 6 -2a- tubing having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding substantially to the internal configuration of the length of ducting, said length of tubing having first and second ends, the second end having an opening of a variable size, the first end being fixed to the ventilation ducting and extending downstream within the length of ducting from the first end, the second end of the tubing being associated with a control means operable from the exterior of the ventilation ducting to selectively vary the diameter of the tubing at the second end. •; i a N }• ■- ~\i 'MUG 1395 "I t n 2486 76 * According to a preferred feature of the invention, the length of tubing is supported in a length of ventilating ducting formed of a flexible sheet material, said length of ventilating ducting being adapted to be received in a ventilating line.

According to a further preferred feature of the previous feature the length of ventilating ducting has a male end at one end and a female end at the other end, said male end being defined by a connecting means provided around the circumference of the ducting, at a position spaced from the one end, said female end being defined by a connecting means provided around the circumference of the ducting adjacent the other end. If desired the female end may comprise a male end where the connecting means is mounted at a position spaced from the free end of the ducting to define an end portion and said end portion is folded to lie within the ducting adjacent the inner face thereof to form said female end. Furthermore, if desired the end portion of the male end at said one end is able to be folded to lie within the ducting adjacent the inner face thereof to form a female end. In addition, the length of tubing may if desired comprise one end portion of the length of ventilation ducting.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment. The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure I is a schematic sectional side view of a f ^5S=N=^%. len9th of tubing according to the embodiment -a incorporating a flow control means therein according <sn •"*'\\ to the embodiment; and ~£q r ^3 ^ sty ■J * 2486 7 4 - Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tubing show at Figure 1 along line 2-2.

The embodiment is directed to air ventilation tubing of the form described in Australian patent specifications 471926, 552474 and 602985 which all disclose ventilation ducting formed of flexible sheet material which have male and female ends which can be interengaged with each other to form a continuous length of ducting.

As shown in the drawings the ventilating tubing according to the embodiment comprises a series of interconnected lengths of ducting, where each length is formed with an end which is capable of being formed as a male end or as a female end. Each end is associated with a connecting means 20 which may comprise a hem formed in the body of the material or a continuous strip which is formed separate from the tubing and is sewn around the exterior of the tubing. In the case of the male end, the connecting means 20 is spaced from one end of the tube whereas in the case of a female end the connecting means 20 is located at the other end of the tube as shown at B. The male end of one length of tube is capable of being received within the female end of another length of tube. To convert a male end to a female end, the end portion of the tubing between the connecting means and the respective end is folded into the body of the tube to lie adjacent the interior wall of the ducting to form a female end as shown at B. Alternatively, to convert a female end to a male end, the end portion which lies within the body of the ducting is extended from within the body of the ducting to extend outwardly, such that the connecting means 20 is spaced from .v.-.. the respective end of the tubing. \> "/ ' - v V "j.

/ - Co M tames it becomes necessary to shut off a flow of air n-j -H\| >1 it!'] "o 3$or£J one length of tubing while retaining an air flow vp v? 1 \ <3 ^through the remainder of the system of which the one length / I I : 24 86 - 5 of tubing forms a part. This may be required for the purposes of repair and the like. It is an object of the embodiment to provide a means whereby the air flow through a . portion of ventilation ducting can be readily shut down independently of the. system without interfering with the structure of the ventilating tubing.

As shown in the drawings the embodiment comprises a length of tubing 11 which is mounted within the ducting 12 whereby one end 13 of the tubing 11 is fixed to the wall of the ducting and the tubing is able to extend away from the one end along the length of the ducting. The extension of the tubing away from the one end is in the direction of the air flow through the ducting. The other end of the tubing 11 is free from the ducting but is formed around its periphery with a series of eyelets 15 which are laced together by utilisation of a cord 16. The free ends of the cords 16 extend along the length of the tubing and pass from the ducting through eyelets to an aperture 17 provided in the wall of the ducting. The diameter of the tubing corresponds substantially to that of the ducting and when unrestrained by the cord 16 in order that the tubing will lie adjacent the inner walls of the ducting as a result of the air flow through the ducting. If it becomes necessary to restrict the flow of air through the ducting the free ends 18 of the cords 16 which pass through the aperture 17 in the walls of the ducting 12 are pulled to cause the diameter of the other end of the tubing to be reduced which thus reduces the air flow. If it is desired to substantially shut off the air flow the end free ends of the cords 16 are fully extracted such that the opening of the other end 14 of the tubing is closed.

The material of which the length of tubing 11 can be formed need not be as resistant to abrasion or damage as the walls of the ducting since they are not subject to the same external wear characteristics required of the ducting.

NEW Zf-AiJMvD 0 6 SEP 19% PATENT OFFICE 248676 - 6 Therefore the length of tubing can be formed of a more flexible material than the body of the ventilation tubing, which facilitates the ready collapse of the other end 14 of the tubing as a result of tensioning the cord 16.

In addition if desired the mounting of the cord 16 to the other end of the tube need not be by means of the eyelets and the lacing of the cord as discussed in relation to the embodiment. Alternatively the cord may be enclosed within a hem which is formed around the other end of the tubing. Alternatively any other suitable means may be provided whereby the opening at the other end 14 of the tubing can be reduced upon the application of appropriate tension by the cord 16.

If desired the length of tubing can not be placed intermediate of the length of ventilation ducting, but may be incorporated as the end portion of the tubing 21. To give effect to this action, the end of each end portion is formed with a hem or a series of eyelets which will accommodate a cord and in use the male end of a length of tubing which is received in the- female end of an adjacent end of tubing has a cord mounted to it as a control means which can then be used to open and close the opening provided in the outer end of the male end to provide the flow control means.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention (as-defined in the appended claims) need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiment described above.

NEW ZEALAMO 0 6 SEP TO patent office 7 24 8 6 76

Claims (12)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A ventilation ducting element comprising a length of ducting having a first and second end, a length and an internal configuration, said length of ducting adapted at each of said ends to be received within a line of ventilation ducting, the ventilation ducting having an exterior, said length of ducting accommodating a flow control means comprising a length of tubing formed of a flexible sheet material, said tubing having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding substantially to the internal configuration of the length of ducting, said length of tubing having first and second ends, the second end having an opening of a variable size, the first end being fixed to the ventilation ducting and extending downstream within the length of ducting from the first end, the second end of the tubing being associated with a control means operable from the exterior of the ventilation ducting to selectively vary the diameter of the tubing at the second end.
2. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 1 wherein the control means comprises a cord element slidably mounted around the tubing at or adjacent the second end, a portion of the cord extending from the tubing to the exterior of the length of ducting.
3. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 2 wherein the second end is provided with a plurality of spaced eyelets and said cord is laced through the eyelets whereby tensioning the cord from the exterior of the ventilation ducting reduces the diameter of the tubing at the second end. ^ \ 2 a AUG 1935 24 8 6 76
4. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 2 wherein the second end is formed with a hem and said cord is received in said hem whereby tensioning the cord from the exterior of the ventilating ducting reduces the diameter of the tubing at the second end.
5. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the ventilating ducting is formed of a flexible sheet material.
6. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 5 wherein the tubing is formed of sheet material which is more flexible than the flexible sheet material of which the ventilating ducting is composed.
7. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 5 or 6 wherein the length of tubing is supported in a length of ventilating ducting which is adapted to be received in a ventilating line.
8. A ventilation ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 7, the length of ventilating ducting has a male end at one end and a female end at the other end, said male end being defined by a connecting means provided around the circumference of the ducting at a position spaced from the one end said female end being defined by a connecting means provided around the circumference of the ducting adjacent to the second end.
9. A ventilating ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 8 wherein the female end comprises a male end where the connecting means is mounted at a position spaced from the free end of the ducting to define an end portion and said end portion is folded to lie within the .ducting .?■< fc a ? adjacent the inner face thereof to form said female end. 2486
10. 10. A ventilating ducting flow control means as claimed at claim 8 or 9, wherein the end portion of the male end at said one end is able to be folded to lie within the ducting adjacent the inner face thereof.
11. 11. A ventilating ducting flow control means as claimed at anyone of claims 8, 9 or 10 wherein the length of tubing comprises at least one end portion of said ducting.
12. 12. A ventilation ducting flow control means substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Acme Group Pty Limited by their Attorneys y-/\ JAMES & WELLS V yJ. <^\- "! oft "2? DEC 1994 1