US2175630A

US2175630A - Heat and sound insulation

Info

Publication number: US2175630A
Application number: US50046A
Authority: US
Inventors: D William F Kiesel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-11-15
Filing date: 1935-11-15
Publication date: 1939-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-10

Description

w. F. KIESEL, 3D

HEAT AND SOUND INSULATION Filed Nov. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 10, 1939. w. F. KIESEL, so

HEAT AND SOUND INSULATION Filed Nov. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 til! .1

Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to heat and sound insulation and more particularly to improvements in insulating structures and materials in which reflective surfaces are utilized as heat insulating 5 means.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved insulation construction utilizing the principles of the reflection of radiation from bright surfaces and also of the non-conduction of heat and sound through alternating thicknesses of media differing greatly in density.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulation of this type which is effective over 15 a wide range of conditions of temperature, and which is of minimum weight and volume and easy to estimate, manufacture, and supply.

Another object of the invention is to provide structures which will not only effectively impede 20 the transmission of heat but will serve to absorb and deaden sound waves in the walls or coverings of which they are a part.

It will be apparent that the invention provides heat insulating and sound absorbing means 25 which may be utilized in controlling conditions of temperature and audible vibration in transportation units--either for passengers or freightsound chambers or auditoriums and various other building and container construc- 30 tions.

In its preferred embodiment, my invention contemplates the provision of heat and sound insulating structures employing a loosely intermingled mass of narrow, elongated, crumpled ribbons of metal foil or similar reflective surface material which may be loosely confined between various types of enclosing structures. These structures may include panels of foil; of ordinary building materials; or wire mesh or other reticulated construction, which may be readily deformed to enclose spaces of irregular contour.

Incertain structures, my invention contemplates the provision of confining walls or panels composed of compacted fibrous material, such as hair or the like, which are provided on at least one of their surfaces with cross corrugations resembling in appearance those of a waffle; the corrugated surface of the panel being cov- 50 ered, as by means of a suitable adhesive, with a sheet of thin reflective surface material such as bright metal foil. The foil in these cases may be stretched tautly across the corrugations or it may be indented between these corruga- 65 tions to form depressions which also serve to hinder the transmission of heat or sound waves vertically along the partitions.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in l5 which certain embodiments of my invention are set forth by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of fragments of two forms of metal ribbon employed in insulating devices embodying the principles of my invention, the thicknesses of the ribbon being exaggerated for purposes of clearer illustration;

Figures 3, 4, and 6 are vertical sectional views of walls or partitions illustrating modes of carrying out the invention;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation of an insulated conduit utilizing certain features of the invention; and Figures 8 and 9 are alternative transverse sectional views of such conduits;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a panelor partition structure showing another embodiment of the invention;

Figures 11 and 12 are fragmentary views in side elevation and transverse cross section, respectively, of a web of material which comprises another modification of the invention;

Figure 13 is a sechematic view in elevation illustrating one method of forming the bats or webs shown in Figures 11 and 12;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary plan view; I

Figures 15, 16, 17 and 18 arealternative sectional views of a panel or sheet of material adapted to be employed in certain additional embodiments of my invention illustrated more clearly in Figures 19, 20 and 21 which are sectional views of walls or partitions. somewhat similar to those shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5; and

Figure 22 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figures 3, 4 and 5 and illustrating a still further modification in the wall or partition structure.

In the process of making metal foil such as aluminum foil there is accumulated a consider- 46 able quantity of what is known as side scrap. These surplus pieces remaining after the foil is out are approximately one-quarter of an inch or fraction thereof in width and of considerable length, depending upon the length of the sheets 50 of foil being made. Heretofore this side scrap has been discarded as waste material or used in connection with manufacture of powder, but I have found that masses of this scrap, crumpled and loosely wadded or intermingled, may be employed to good advantage in connection with providing heat and sound insulating structures, as will be hereinafter set forth. Obviously, however, the ribbons or shreds of foil to be employed in these constructions may be cut from sheet foil prepared especially for this purpose.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral I0 is applied to a short section of one of these pieces of ribbon-like side scrap of bright metal foil, such as aluminum. These ribbons of thin foil tend to kink or assume a wavy configuration and, when a number of such ribbons are intermingled or loosely matted together, they provide in any space into which they may be introduced a great number of irregular, tortuous air cells, and efiectively reduce convection currents within the insulating space. provide great numbers of reflective surfaces which further add to the insulating properties of the mass. Such a loose mass of side scrap ribbon is shown at l5 between the partitions or panels 5, the whole providing a wall which may form a part of a building structure, a container-such as a refrigerator, or a transportation vehicle such as a freight or passenger carrying unit of railway rolling stock.

For certain purposes some metal foils are provided with paper backing layers and the side scrap resulting from the manufacture of this material is also useful in this connection, although probably not quite as effective as the bare foil. In Figure 2 there is illustrated at I2 a ribbon of this material, the foil layer being shown at 13 and the paper lamination at M.

One instance of an eiiective use of my novel insulating material is shown in the lower portion of Figure 3 in which the mass of foil ribbon l5 is inserted between the flooring l8 and the lower ceiling structure 20. Should sheet foil be used for the insulation of horizontal partitions the condensation. on the upper surfaces or these sheets would cause them to sag and break. This difficulty is entirely eliminated by the use of my loosely intermingled ribbon foil.

Another example of the use of the ribbon foil in providing heat and sound insulating structures is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings in which there is disposed a horizontal wire 22 between the partition panels l6, over which numerous strands or ribbons of foil are laid. Thus the foil ribbons cascade downwardly from the wire 22 forming a sort of curtain 23 between the wall partitions, and due to the kinking or waving of the several ribbons, numerous irregular and broken air spaces are formed in the wall and convection currents are efiectively inhibited.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated a construction in which there are disposed between the partition walls or panels 16 a number of spaced sheets of metal foil or other sheet or insulating material, indicated at 25. These sheets may be held in taut parallel spaced positions as by means of the spacing strips or blocks 26 at either end of the partition. In former cases where thesespaced sheets of foil have been used, it was necessary that the wall structure be absolutely tight to prevent rupturing or bursting oi the sheets of foil. In my improved construction, however, the spaces between the sheets 25 and between these sheets and the panels I6 are loosely filled with masses of ribbon foil as at I5. This provides an eifective bracing means for the panels and also prevents convection currents and inhibits condensation.

It may be noted at this point that the crum- They also pied, loosely matted mass of foil is so light in weight, and of such a degree of resilience that there is very little settling of the mass after it is inserted in the insulating structure. Adhesive material may be added for further stability at surfaces or throughout the structure.

In Figure 22 of the drawings there is illustrated an embodiment of the invention in which layers of loosely matted ribbon or shredded material H are attached to the inside surfaces of the outer walls l6, preferably by means of a suitable adhesive. In this figure there is also illustrated an intermediate panel or plate 25 to which similar layers of matted reflective material have been secured. This intermediate construction may be omitted if desired and the air spaces 19 may be allowed to remain as such or be firm with any other suitable insulating material.

I Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings in which there is disposed between the walls or panels l6 asimilar loose mass of crumpled ribbon foil, as at 28, having intermingled therewith a number of shredded particles 30 of confetti-like material made of paper, Cellophane, or the like. For some purposes, this intermingled material may be of a fibrous nature, such as hair or shredded asbestos, or it may even be-a substance having a granular consistency. These intermingled materials are useful in some constructions in fur ther sub-dividing the air spaces in'the insulating structure.

Thus far there has been described insulating constructions employing vertical or horizontal panels of regular configuration, such as may be employed in building construction and containers. In order to adapt my invention to irregular contours such as for examplepipes and conduits, the adaptations illustrated in Figures '7, 8 and 9 may be employed. In Figure 8 a conduit 32 is illustrated which has a square cross-section and a circular conduit is illustrated at 33 in Figure 9. The masses of ribbon foil 15 in these cases are held between spaced frames or baskets of reticulated material such as the wire mesh 35, preferably having somewhat smaller apertures than in ordinary chicken wire. These baskets or frames may be secured to the supporting structure and to each other by any suitable means and provide means for readily adapting the insulating structure to widely varying irregular surfaces,

In Figure 10 of the drawings there is illustrated a modification which also employs a screen or panel of reticulated material, such as wire mesh or expanded metal, for example. The frame is indicated at 36 in Figure 10 and the metal foil ribbon indicated at 38 is intertwined throughout the meshes of the screen or is loosely adherent thereto. If desirable or necessary, 'a small quantity of a suitable adhesive may be employed to aid in attaching the crumpled foil ribbons to the frame. This type of insulation may find a variety of uses in building constructions or the like.

Instead of being scattered or suspended in an exceedingly loose crumpled mass, the foil ribbon may be made up in webs or bats of insulating material which may be for some purposes more convenient in handling and installing. One embodiment of this material is illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings in which bat or web 40 is composed of continuous diagonal laminations 4| of matted foil ribbons, either used alone or in combination with other material, for example, of a fibrous nature. One method of preparing this material is indicated diametrically in Figure 13 of the drawings in which a mass of foil ribbons or like material is fed into the hopper 45 between the rollers 46. From the hopper the flat web of matted ribbon-like foil 45 is fed upon travelling belt 41. From the belt 41 the web is fed upon travelling belt 48 which is carried by a frame including the rolls 49, which is adapted to reciprocate horizontally and thus serve to pile the continuously fed web 46 upon itself in a series of diagonal layers, as indicated in the drawings. The resulting structure 40 may be taken from the belt 48 in any desired manner, and further compacted if desired. This may also form a part of a combining operation.

A still further adaptation of the principles of my invention is shown in the remaining figures of drawings. It will be noted that Figures 19, 20 and 21 are exactly the same as Figures 3, 4 and 5 with the exception that there is interposed between the wall panels 16 and the inner mass of foil the structures indicated generally by the reference numeral 50. In Figure 19, the crumpled ribbon foil mass is shown at l5. In Figure 20 the curtain 23 of crumpled foil is suspended from a; wire 22,-and in Figure 21 the spaced foil sheets 25 are held in place as in the other embodiment by means of strips 26, or they may be held by an adhesive.

The interposed layers 50 in these constructions are illustrated in detail in Figures 14-18 of the drawings. The base of this material is a sheet 52 of fibrous material, such as hair, having at least one surface provided with the indentations 53, leaving the raised cross corrugations 54, and giving to the surface a waflle-like configuration. Across the projecting faces of the cross corrugations 54, as shown in Figure 15, there is laid the sheet of bright metal foil 55. This pro* vides a very effective reflective surface and also the dead air spaces 55 within the indentations 53 of the surface of the fibrous material.

It will be noted that in Figure 15, the outer surfaces of the combined structure 50 are smooth, but in order to make the foil surface more irregular to impede any convection currents moving along the face of the material, the foil may be indented to varying degrees into the hollows or indentations 53 of the backing web. In Figure 16 the foil 55 is shown having a slight indentation, as at 51, but is still spaced from the bottoms of the depressions 53. In Figure 17 of the drawings the foil 55 is depressed a little further and contacts with the bottom of each indentation 53 at substantially a single point as at 58. In Figure 18, however, a foil is pressed into the indentations 53 so as to contact so far as possible with substantially their entire inner surface.

It is obvious, of course, that the constructions just described have considerable insulating properties of their own and can be used alone as well as in combination with the crumpled ribbon masses illustrated in Figures 19-21 in the drawings, or in combination with sheets of foil. The fibrous backing material may be of any consistency and stiffness, this being regulated by the amount of sizing material employed in its manufacture. The nature of the foil and the rolling determines the nature of the surface.

Tests show that the corrugations improve the heat insulating qualities in comparison with the foil applied to the smooth surface, and the application of the foil may be made a part of the felting process rather than a separate operation. This affords a material saving in manufacturing costs. This saving is not possible in connection with the application of foil to the plane side of felted hair materials.

One important advantage of the constructions provided in accordance with the present invention is that they may be applied to existing structures in order to render the walls and partitions sound-proof and heat insulated, as well as in new buildings, containers, etc. This is not possible in most of the constructions which employ sheet foil alone and which are limited in their application to new buildings and other original structures.

It will be understood that various. changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A heat and sound insulating construction comprising spaced inner and outer retaining walls surrounding the space to be insulated and a loose uncompacted mass of ribbons of reflective surface material suspended so as to hang substantially vertically between said walls.

2. A heat and sound insulating construction comprising a support and a curtain comprising a loosely intermingled mass of ribbons of reflective surface material suspended from said support.

3. A heat and sound insulating construction comprising a support, and a cascade of narrow elongated ribbons of bright metal foil depending from said support.

4. A heat and sound insulating construction comprising a pair of confining walls, a supporting member at the upper end of the space between said walls, and a cascade of narrow elongated ribbons of bright metal foil depending from said supporting member and confined between said walls.

5. A heat and sound insulating structure comprising a laminated web of loosely matted bright metal foil ribbons.

6. A heat and sound insulating structure comprising a laminated web, each lamination comprising a layer of loosely matted bright metal foil ribbons;

'7. A heat and sound insulating structure comprising a diagonally laminated web, each lamination comprising a layer of loosely matted bright metal foil ribbons.

WILLIAM F. KIESEL, 3p.