US2258682A

US2258682A - Air conditioning system

Info

Publication number: US2258682A
Application number: US272362A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kent Edward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-05-08
Filing date: 1939-05-08
Publication date: 1941-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1958-10-14

Description

Oct.14, 1941. E. KENT I AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed May 8, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 0a. 14, 1941. E KENT 2,258,682

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed May 8, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTO Z WdrJ Kara R BY W 5%.,

// A TTORNEY vide a new and improved me of operation whereby the interior of the building temperature below or Patented oa.14,1941

OFFICE AIR, CONDITIONING srsrEM Edward Kent, Highland Park, Mich. Application May 8, 1939, Serial No. 272,362

This invention relates to air conditi tems for buildings and is a oning syscontinuation in part,

8' Claims. (Cl. 231-51) sides of the partitio n providing an air passageway therebetween and a blower associated therein respect to cornmop' subject matter, of my .With for discharging air from atmosphere into United States application, Serial No. 199,383, filed April 1, 1938. The system is especially adapted for use in dwellings, the purpose 'being to prochanism and manner may be maintained at a above the exterior atmospheric temperature and thus maintain the building cool'or warm as may be desired.

A feature and object of the invention is to provide in association with a gas, electric or 'oil heating member, preferably inthe form of a fireplace, for taking air from atmosphere in such relation to the heating elementthat it maybe discharged into the building either heated or cooled. In view of air being forced into the room or interior .of the building thus tending to produce pressure therein or an accumulation of gas fumes if a gas or oil fired heating element be provided, a point of egress for air is provided to thus maintain the room or interior of a building at or near atmospheric pressure and by use of a fan provide for complete change of air in a room over a period of time and preventing a detrimental accumulation of fumes therein.

It isalso an object and feature of the invention to provide a gas grate having open flame providing a flow of heated air and discharging fresh air into the said heated air to mix therewith as it is discharged into the room. 1

A further object and feature of the invention resides in the provision of a gas grate as hereinafter more fully described having a sheet metal back heated by the gas burner and providing a passageway on the opposite side of the sheet metal back and discharging fresh air through the passageway to absorb heat from the said sheet metal back and discharging the air into the room in mixutre with the heated air developed by the gas burner.

It is iurther a feature and object of the invention to provide in association with a gas or electric grate to position in the air passageway at the back of the grate a means for chilling they air and thus provide a structure that is adapted to discharge heated or cooled air from atmosphere into the room.

A further. object and feature of the invention resides in the provision of a pair of gas fired oi'the grates in spaced relation with ,the face oi each grate toward the respective room on opposite the passageway,- grates a passage spective rooms t -sageway between with which the heated air onthe face of the grate is mixed with the air blowing into theroom. A further object and feature of the inventionis in the provision of a gas burning grate or fireplace having a gas bumeron the front of the grate and a transparent closure for the front or the grate formed of a convenient material such as a fire resistant glass, and a passageway for air to enter the enclosure atthe bottom and a pas- ,sageway at the top for-the heated air and a passagewayfor air from atmosphere discharging jointly with theheated air into the room'through an aperture preferably provided with a grating or grille whereby the air from atmosphere is mixed with the heated air, provided by the gas burner 7 prior to discharge intothe room.

way opening directly to the re- A major object of the invention is to provide in a composite structure a h element and in providing air' cooled at will and discharged to the area requiring corresponding temperature change.

grates in a partition wall arranged with the backs These and other features and obJects of the in-' vention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred bodying my invention is sho wn in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view-showing one arrangement of the various conduits and the dual heating and cooling elements associated there- W Fig. 2 is a. vertical sec and the associated heating 'and control means therefor.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the heating and coolin of Fig. 1.7

Fig. 4 is a front elevatio partly broken ment.

Fig. 5 is a detail of a in section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section showing a outlet for the interior of the line 8-6 of F18. 1.

and cooling elements n of the heating unit away to show the gas heating elegas control valve partially portion of an air building taken on heating and cooling units when used without a 5 continuation conduit to the ceiling of a room there being at the top ofthe' hrough which air from thepasthe grates is discharged and form of apparatus em- I tion showing a building g elements taken on line 3-3 sides of the passageway opening not here particularly adapted for installation in existing structures.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the unit shown in Fig. 7 partially broken away to show the interior be provided by'dischargcharge directly into a room and this form of the apparatus is first described due to' it being de-- sirable that this feature of the system "should be first well understood in order that the description of the system'as a whole may be readily realized.

The preferred element for producing heat is a gas grate one form of which is shown at I in Fig. 3 for use in a room atthe right hand'side of the partition wall 2 and asimilar gas rate 3 is formed in the same body casting 4 with the back wall 5 of the grate I being opposed to the similar back wall 8 of the grate 3. These back walls are spaced to provide a passageway 1 membertween and the main casting 4 is here shown as having

peripheral channels

8 and 8 on opposite and 9 extend peripherally about the casting, as will be understood from Fig. 4, and water may be introduced into these passageways through an shown and each channel is provided with an outlet valve 18 of a character to open on pressure in the

passageways

8 and 8 to provide steam stream. A hood8 and 8 is provided in the arrangement here shown to house the valves Ill.

The gas grates l and Lmay be of any approved form but are here shown as having burners H of hollow form to which gas may be provided by a respective conduit I2 or l3 and with; each of which is provided a control valve l4 and I! respectively. The burner grate member at the bottom.. Thus the burning gases will impinge upon the back plate and will rise to pass into a channel l1 or l8 for the respective grates. Air is provided fonthe burner throughapertures ll and ll in a casing l I enclosing the burner tube-for each grate.

These channels l1 and I8 open at the upper end to a respective outlet conduit is or 20 so that air passing through the conduit 1 passes into air above or below atmosatmosphere through the associated heating and cooling structure to dis- 1. These channels 8' tubes I l have apertures i directing the flame l8 againsta back plate of the respective room. and the

members

24 and 25 are preferably formed of a heat resistant glass. By this arrangement all of the heated gases are discharged upwardly and into the fresh air stream tion wall above the grates a passageway is a shield 28shaped to for causing air topass to the right and to the 7 way 1 and at the upper v and 28 into the respective room on the right and left side of the partition. Thus the heated air can be discharged directly to the upper part of the room if desired and it is also to be noted that on the inner sides of the grilles 21 and 28 are

damper elements

28 and 28 left through grilles 21 respectively which may be operated in any conto be injected into the air either or both the open ends of the passageways l1 and I8. The air outlet passageways I8 and 20 are closely arranged at the rear of the grille 2| or 22 for the respective grates and the air and gases in combustion pass through the grilles into the respective room. Air is forced under pressure into the passageway 1 by a conduit 23 which, as

necessarily, a transface of the grates in the the grate and 25 for the to close the same air througheither venient manner to open and to permit or prevent flow of or both the grilles 21 and 28. Likewise there is a damper element 31 for the air conduit l8 and a similar damper element 82 for the air conduit 20. These last named damper elements may be controlled by a lever 33 for the grille 2| and by a similar control element for the grille 22 such control lever being shown clearly in Fig. 4.

Preferably theopposed inner faces of the back 1

plates

5 and 6 have a backing 24 of silica sand held in place by the shield 35 in each instance, the shields being supported at the lower end by a casting 36 formed integral with the back plate. These

members

34 and 35 are spaced apart and between the same is a cooling coil 21 of a refrigerating apparatus (not here shown) but to be understood as being connected with the circulating system of the refrigerating apparatus by a conduit 38.

Preferably this coil is the expansion coil of a condenser-compressor-expander type of artificial refrigerating apparatus although other types of cooling apparatus may Such coil is to be used when it is desired to cool the air flowing between the two plates to lower the temperature of the air inthe room in respect use the gas burners are shut off by the valves l4 and I5.

It is also to be understoodthat the channel 1' and the upper grilles 21 and 28- and associated parts maybe dispensed with inwhich case the heating and cooling unit will remain substantially the same as described in respect to Fig. 3 and thus the elements 34 are not described in respect to Fig. '7. The structure of Fig. 7 differs from that shown in Fig. 3 in the fact that no

water channels

8 or 8 are provided as the heating and cooling element is usable without the provision of means for injecting steam into the air stream as is provided for in the structure shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 7 the air passageway 1' (which corresponds to the passageway I of Fig. 3) terminates at the top wall 38 and the air flow through the passageway 1' from the air conduit 23' is directed through the grilles 40 and u and the associated damper elements. The character of structure shown in Fig. 7 is used where there isno requirement for the channel 1 of Fig. 3 or in a single story room where there is no necessity for discharging heated or cooled air above the grates, as for instance to an upper room, as

be located adjacent the floor of an upper room be utilized if desired.

to atmospheric temperature and when in rooms A and B on opposite sides of the partition that these conduits will of necessity change in position depending upon the arrangement of rooms of thebuilding and the location of the grate elements. v

The preferred means for providing air vfor the grate elements is shown in detail in Fig. 2 which consists of a conduit 23 preferably positioned beneath the floor 42 and discharging to the grate elements as described relative to Fig. 3. The intake end of this conduit 23 is provided by a vertical conduit 43, the upper end of which is provided with a chambered element 44 having a front face formed with louvres 45 for ingress of opening and II respectively providing an inlet to the conduit 66.

The main air exhaust conduit 65 has abranch conduit 66 connected with the grilled opening 10 in a partition wall 59 which opens to rooms on the respective opposite sides of the wall and may air from atmosphere. The horizontal portion of the conduit 23, in the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a chamber 46 to which the vertical conduit 43 opens on one side and to which the conduit 23 opens on the other side. There is a fan in the chamber 46 of any approved type shown at 41 and in the base of the chamber is provided a quantity of water 48 in which the condenser coil 49 of a refrigerating system may be located. The water may be supplied through a conduit 56 having a valve controlled by a float When'the water isdepleted below a certain level the valve opens and water is sprayed into the chamber 46 through the spray heads 52 so positioned that air passing intothe conduit 23 mustfirst pass through the spray. Such arrange-' ment provides for introduction of moisture in the air stream and may be utilized rather than the arrangement described in Fig. 3 having the

water conduits

8 and 9.

Whether or not water spraying means is used in the chamber 46 I preferably provide air filters 53 in the conduit 23 or in the branches thereof as indicated at 23 and 23 in Fig. 1. Considering Fig. 1 the dotted lines 55 indicate-the outer wall of a building while the dotted lines 56; 51,

58, 59 and 60 show partition walls. The

conduits

23 and 23 discharge to the grate element 6| or 62 respectively positioned in the partitions 66 and 56. The cooling and heating unit 62 is arranged to discharge cooled or heated 'air to the wall 56 and there is an extension conduit 23 in continuation of the conduit 23, which, as shown in Fig. 2, has a vertical portion 21! providing a discharge .outlet at the upper end adjacentthe' ceiling. The conduit 23 is controlled by the damper 23 operable in any approved way to permit or prevent fiow of air from atmosphere to the room ceiling. The ,conduit 23 is likewise 7 whether the exhaust openings are single or controlled by a damper 23 and other dampers A may be provided in the conduits to control flow of air therethrough. In any case the air must first pass through the filters 53 before discharging to the heating and cooling units or into the room. The heating andfcooling grate element 63 is supplied with air through the conduit 23.

In view of the fact that air is discharged into the interior of the building through the heating and cooling unit it is desirable, especially when the heating units are in operation, to withdraw air from the room to maintain a substantially pure alr therein and without accumulation of pressure. For this purpose I provide a main conduit 65 having an opening to atmosphere as at.

66 and in the room adjacent the opening is provided' a fan 61. The main conduit 65 is connected as by branches 66 and 69 with a grilled be at a considerable distance from the heating and cooling device 6|. The branch conduit 69 'is connected with the grilled openings in the partition 56 opening on opposite sides of the partition wall to the rooms A and B. By this arrangement of conduits (which will vary in accordance with the structure and arrangement of rooms) heated or cooled air may be discharged into the rooms and by the fan 61 in the exhaust .conduit 65 air is removed from the rooms to prevent an accumulation of air. pressure therein and further to insure a constant change in the atmosphere in the rooms. This constant change of atmosphere is desirable whether or not the installations where no basement is provided in either old or new structures, the said housing and moisture providing apparatus may be. positioned in a room C provided therefore as shown et 15 in Fig. 10, the intake conduit being indicated at 16 and the discharge conduit at 11. The apparatus functioning exactly as described relative to Fig. 2. In old structures having a basement, the air intake 96 may bplaced on the exterior of the building wall as shown in Fig. 9.

In Fig..6is shown the exhaust conduit 65 as having a single grilled opening 18 rather than the double grille opening 6i or H of Fig. 1 as such single opening may be desirable in some arrangements ofthe exhaust ai'rconduits. Also.

double, a damper 19 may be provided to secure a regulation of the flow of air from the room or rooms.

In the use of gas fired grates it is desirable to provide acontrol valve as is indicated in Fig. 5,

the valve proper being housed in a casing to which the gas tube l6 of Fig. 3 is connected. The

valve has a shaft 8| and thehand wheel has a hub slidable longitudinally on the'shaft and also rotatable on the Fig. 5.

Thus when the valve is closed or open there will be no possibility of accidentally turning the between the hub of the wheel and the collar tendingto maintain the same in the disengaged relation shown in Fig. 5. While such valve control arrangement is desirable the invention herein disclosed and claimed is not confined to its use.

From the foregoing description it is believed evident that the various objects and features of the invention areattained by the construction described. It is further evident that with my improved air conditioning apparatus there is no necessity for chimney or chimneys nor of furnaces at a central point from which-heat is distributed shaft in the position shown in by a conduit to various rooms as is commonly the case. In such prior furnace construction, especially hot air furnaces, there is a considerable heat loss while the air is traversing the conduits. By my invention the heat is developed and supplied to the air stream at its point of entrance to the room whereby my improved heating system is economical in use and by use of the dampers such as i9 and 20 of Fig. 1 the volume of air discharged to any particular room per unit of time may be varied. Andlikewise the first cost of the system is below that of the usual furnace system.

Further my improved air conditioning apparatus provides for removal of dustfrom the rooms, it being obvious that by closing the air outlets to the exhaust du'ct in all the rooms but one a rapid flow of air may be caused and fresh air .drawn thereinto through the grilles 2 I 21 or 28 and this may be accomplished even though the heating and cooling apparatus, is not used. a

Having thus fully describedmy invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of theUnited States is:

'1. Air conditioning means fora room' of .a

combustionto discharge into the air stream a temper the same prior to discharge into the building comprising a gas burning grate having a back wall, means for supplyinggases and air for combustion to the forward surface of said wall, a duct at the upper end of the grate having an opening to the room and through which the gases of combustion pass, anwhich is formed by the said back wall of the grate and having an opening above the grate adiacent the duct opening, means for supplying air from atmosphere to the said air conduit,-the duct being so arranged that the heated gases of combustion discharge into the stream of air from said air conduit at the top of .the grate, and a grilled opening at the top of the grate through which the commingled air from atmosphere and gases of combustion pass into the room.

2. Air conditioning means for a room of a building comprising a gas burning grate having a back wall, means for supplying gases and air for combustion to the forward surface of said wall, a duct at the upper end of the grate through which the gases of combustion pass, an air conduit, one wall of which is formed by the said back wall of the. grate and having anopening above the grate to which the flrst named duct opens, means for supplying air from atmosphere to the said passageway, the duct being so arranged that air conduit, one wall of room, and means for varying the volume of tempered air discharged into a room per unit of time.

4. Air conditioning means for the room of a building comprising a gas burning grate, means for supplying a gas flame to the front surface of the grate facing the room interior, a transparent shield for said front face of the grate for closing the same to the room, there being an opening at the bottom of the grate for supply of air for combustion, an air conduit at the back of the grate whereby air passing therethrough is subject to influence of the heat of the said back wall of the grate, said back wall of the grate having means for supporting a heat absorbing element such as silica sand, means for discharging air through the passageway to thereby subject the same to heat by the heat absorbing means, said passageway having an opening at the top of the grate through which the air is discharged to th r building separated by a partition wall comprising a pair of grates arranged in the partition wall, the back walls of the grates being in opposed and spaced relation providing a passageway therebetween, means for supplyin heat'tc the front of the wall of each of the grates, means providing for a supply of air to the face of the grates, a transparent shield separating the faces of the .grates. from the interior of the respective rooms, means for supplying air to the passageway'between the grates, there being an opening for discharge of air to the respective rooms at the top of each of the grates, the said upper end of the passageway being arranged to discharge the heated air from the face of the grate to the air stream prior to passing into the room.

6. Air conditioning means for rooms of a building separated by a partition wall comprising a pair of grates arranged in the-partition wall, the back walls of the grates being in opposed and spaced relation, providing a passageway there'- between, means for supplying heat to the front of the wall of each of the grates, means progrates, .a transparent shield separating th'e faces the heated gases of combustion discharge into T the air stream at the top of the grate, and a grilled opening at the top of the grate through which the commingled air and gases of combus-.

'tion pass into the room, and means for injecting steam into the stream of air and gases of combustionprior to discharge into the room. V

3. Air conditioning means ior'the room of a building comprising a gas burning grate, means for supplying a gas flame to the front surface of for discharge of air to the respective rooms at the top of each of the grates, the said upper end of the passageway being arranged to discharge the grate facing the room interior, a transparent shield for said front face of the grate for closing the same to the room, there beingan' opening at the bottom of the grate for supply of air for com-- bustion, an air conduit at theback of the grate whereby air passing therethrough is subject to influence of the heat of the's'aidr back wall of the grate, means for discharging air through the said passageway, said passageway having an opening at the top of the' grate through which the air is discharged to the room, the upper end-of the said backing member being shaped to cause gases of the heated air from the face of the grate to the air stream prior to passing into the room, a verticalconduit above the grates providing a continuation of the said passageway therebetween,

and openings on each side or the said vertical conduit for discharging air to opposite sides of the partition. t

7, Air conditioning means for rooms of a building separated by a partition wall comprising a. pair of grates arranged in the partition wall. the back walls of the grates being in opposedand;

.spaced' relation, providing a passageway therebetween, 'means for supplying heat to the front of the wall of each of the grates, means providing for a supply of air to the face of the grates. a transparent shield separating. the faces of the grates from the interior or the respective rooms,

means for supplying air to the passageway bethe air stream prior to discharge into the respection of. the said passageway therebetween, and 10 openings on each side of the said vertical conduit for discharging air to opposite sides of the partition, and means for supplying moisture to,

tive rooms. a

Y 5 8. Air conditioning means for rooms of a builda ing having a common partition wall comprising a pair of grate elements in said wall arranged in spaced relation back to back providing a passage: way therebetween, said passageway being formed to provide" discharge outlets at the top of the grate to the respective'rooms on each of the op'- posite sides of the, wall, a fuel burning element for each grate,- means whereby gases of combustion produced by each fuel burning element discharges to the respective outlets'ot the passageway, and means for supplying air from at-' mosphere to the passageway.

' EDWARD KENT.