US2358695A - Blower conversion unit - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1944. w. D. EVANS ,3

BLOWER CONVERSION UNIT Filed NOV. 12, 1941 5 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR' l V/LL/HM DE/I/VE Emma ATTORNEY Sept. 19, 1944..

W. D. EVANS BLOWER CONVERSION UNIT Filed Nov. 12, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //0 lN VENTOR M Mum/110mm HIM/V6 4 M3 ATTORN EY Sept. 19, 1944. w. EVANS 2,358,695

BLOWER CONVERSION UNIT Filed Nov. 12, 1941 3 Sheets-Shet 3 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 19, 1944 2,358,695 BLOWER CONVERSION UNIT William Deane Evans, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Lau-Blower Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 12, 1941, Serial No. 418,676 Claims. (01. 98-101) This invention relates to the art of heating by warm-air and has for an object to provide a blower unit adapted in itself for the complete and instantaneous conversion of a gravity circu'lating system to a. forced air circulating system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circulation unit of the class specified that will be decorative as well as efllcient in moving a large volume of air, and improve the circulation and ventilation of warm-air heated spaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for forcibly withdrawing cold and heavy air from a space to be heated, such as a room or rooms of a dwelling, and replacing it with warmer and lighter air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a warm-air circulation conversion unit with means for cleaning and filtering air drawn from a heated space, and then forcing it under pressure into the ductsystem of a furnace, by permitting the forced air to expand somewhat before passing through the usual grill or register of the duct system.

A further object is to provide a unit of the class described that will fit tightly against a room wall, and that will engage the floor around the cold air return or intake of a system in a, sealing relation.

A still further object is to provide a unit suitable for installation in rented or leased properties having cold air return openings of various dimensions, whereby a tenant can move his conversion unit along with his other furniture and not be faced with the landlord's charge of having taken away part of the fixtures.

A still further object is to provide a conversion unit that'may be moved into the premises by the vendor or purchaser and set into operation without the necessity of servicemen for the installation.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a circulating unit suitable forwithdrawing heavy cold air from a space to be heated and forcing it into a duct system returning to a heating unit, with a plenum chamber to improve the eificiency and quietness of the circulating unit.

A further object of the plenum chamber is to add to the adaptability of the unit to the various sizes and shapes of cold air grills.

Warm-air heating systems of the gravity circulating type are recognized as of low efiiciency, which fact has given rise to the development of forced circulating systems. This development has resulted in the construction and sale of units adapted to be installed as a part of the furnace or heating unit furnishing the warm-air and involves the cutting of the cold air return duct at the cold air box of the furnace, removing a part of the duct or box, and fitting in its place by sheet metal workers of a motor driven blower that has a delivery into the furnace base, and has its intake connected with the remainder of the cold air duct system leading to the register in the living quarters or space to be heated. In making that installation, it is sometimes necessary also to install baffle units within the furnace jacket and so position them that the concentrated blast of air from the closely coupled blower will not by-pass the hot bowl of the furnace, as it might otherwise. That baflling is not necessary in connection with the conversion unit herein described because the air stream there-from is permitted to expand sufficiently between the cold air return opening from the space to be heated and the base of the furnace, so that its velocity is relatively lower than that coming from a close coupled blower, and also fills the cross section of the duct which is not the case with the close coupled blower. coupled unit converts the blower unit in to a fixture of the building, and on a point of law cannot be removed from the premises by a tenant, once it is connected. The law thereby deprives a tenant of the benefits of improvements making for efiiciency, since in moving from house to house he is not permitted to take hlS blower unit with him, and the cost of purchasing and installing a new unit every time he moves is prohibitive.

The instant invention removes those objections, and accomplishes the stated and other objects by providing a conversion blower unit that is complete in itself, and is adapted to be brought into the rented or leased property by the ordinary deliveryman, or the purchaser himself, moved into place over the existing register or cold air opening of the cold air return, and started into operation by plugging the service cord into the electric outlet. The installation is then complete, and no reworking or alteration of the furnace or equipment is undergone. The tenant is afiorded the use of improvements in the art without making any change in the original heating equipment. He makes no installation that he will not be permitted to remove. When the tenant moves to another location, he-may' pull the service cord and take his conversion unit along with other properties, such as his electric refrigerator or his radio. The unit is susceptible of stocking and sale by a department store or the The installation of a close.

like, since no specialist, as. heating contractor or sheet metal worker has to be called in to effect complete installation.

To facilitate those advantages, and to make for immediat installation, the conversion blower unit comprises a motor driven blower mounted within a substantially airtight casing, except for intake and outlet passages, which casing is pleasing in design and appearance, in that it simulates or incorporates utility features of a piece of furniture, and when placed over a register or opening will so completely cover the same as to be a complete mask for its functional purpose. Its flat top may serve as a table or like article of 1 utility. Intake openings, near, the floor serve to remove the coldest layers of air in supplying the demand of the blower; and thereby accelerates the displacement of cold-air with the warmer air above. Filter units removably mounted within the casing so that they may be removed for replacement or cleaning are interposed in the airstream between the intake of the unit and the Further objects and advantages of the present 85 invention wilkbeapparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: K

Fig. 1 is. a view of a gravity circulating warm air heating plant in a building, with the invention in place.

' Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention with parts brokenaway for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the, conversion unit substantially as indicated by the line and arrows 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view at right angles thereto, substantially as indicated by the line and arrows 4-4 in Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modiflcation of the casing inlet for the conversion unit as indicated by line and arrows 5-5 of'Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the same substantially as indicated by the line and arrows 6-6 of Fig. 5.

With particular reference to the drawings, in

refers to a warm-air furnaeehaying one or more return or cold-air pipe 28 to communicate with 70 the cold-air box attached to the base of the furnace it. That is the usual installation of the conventional warm air furnace, where dependence is had upon gravity or the weight of the cold air for supplyin the circulation of the warmed 7 chamber. The lower edges of the end and side air. In principle, the warm or heated air being lighter rises-through the pipe I2 and register 23 to fill the room I4, 22 and the like, it likewise rising to near the ceiling to replace the colder air that sinks to the floor because of greater-weight per unit volume. The cooler air sinking to the floor, and being pushed aside by the warmer air rising from the registers 20, finds its way to the cold air grill 24 and'thence falls through it into the box 26 on its way back to the furnace by way of the pipe 28. The cycle of air change is slow and not particularly effective especially where an intervening wall 32 hindersvthe ready circulation of the heated air. The whole system depends upon the difference in weight of the warm air in the pipe I! and the cold air in the return pipe 23.

The blower conversion unit constituting the instant invention is adapted to transform the gravity circulating system into one of forced circulation, and is susceptible of instantaneous installation, or transportation to a new location, since it is adapted to be moved into the room and to be placed over the return grill 24 or the opening 23 without the need of a tool or implement of any kind. The conversion unit 34 is of pleasing design to serve a secondary purpose as a unit of furniture, and comprises a casing 38 which may be of sheet metal or the like providing a rear wall 33, two'end walls 40, and a front wall 42 suitably joined together and capped by a top member 44. It is preferred that the top fit tightly over the side wallsf and for that purpose the upper edges of the side walls are offset inwardly as at 45 to form flush exterior surface meeting with the turned over edge of the top 44, all of which is shown to advantage in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.

In Figs. 1 to 4, three of the side walls of the casing, are provided with louvers as shown at 43 for the end walls and for the front wall. If desired the louvers may also, be provided in the back wall. In each of the walls the louvers are preferably confined to the bottom half or lower portion of the particular panel, and the louvers are directed inwardly from the surface of the panel and wholly contained within the casing so as not to present obstructions on which clothing can be snagged, or upon which persons may be injured Within the casing there is provided a support wall or the like, and may take the form of a sub-panel 52 held in spaced relation from the lower terminal edge of the casing by means of ledge members or the like 54, and to which the support wall may be secured. While a horizontal support wall has been shown, the same may take other forms, so long as it separates a high pressure chamber from an intake or low pressure walls-of the casing are turned inward to form a flange 56 and to provide a bearing surface for a gasket or sealing strip 51 of rubber, felt or the like, which also acts a a vibration and sound absorbing means for the unit when in operation.

The sub-panel 52 forms one boundary of a plenum chamber, and is apertured at 58 to form an outlet for a blower 63 mounted thereover. As one alternative the support wall may be apertu'red to form the inlet opening to the blower so mounted that it discharges downwardly. Shock absorbing material such as rubber padding 62 or similar material interposed between the subpanel and the blower casing prevents air leaks and reduces noise and vibration. That affords an air-tight juncture between the interior of the blower housing and the cold-air conduit 23, and provides a chamber 34 between the blower outlet 58 and the register 24 in which the compressed air irom the blower may expand somewhat so as to be more readily passed through the register with lower velocities and hence quieter operation. By means of this plenum chamber 64 a r ater area of the register 24 is available for passage of air from the blower outlet, and the air can pass therethrough with less resistance and less noise.

The blower preferred is of the centrifugal type,

as herein generally illustrated, having a spiral housing 66 with a discharge opening emptying into the opening 58 of the sub-panel 52. One or more of the opposing walls of the housing 68 provide apertures III as blower inlet openings. Means I2 support bearings I4 for a shaft 16 carrying a rotor or impeller I8, designed upon rotation to forcibly move air from the intake openings to and through the opening 58. Transmission means 80 transmits motion of the motor 82 to the rotor or impeller I8. The motor 82 may be mounted in any available space within the casing 38 left outside of the blower housing, one such location being that illustrated where the motor 82 is mounted on a plate 98 rigidly secured at one end to the blower housing at 98 while the other end of the plate 96 carries an adjusting screw I engageable with the blower housing as a means for adjusting the transmission means 80. Vibration absorbing members I02 are interposed between the blower housing and each end of the \plate 96 to suppress noise and vibration.

In Figs. 2 to 4, to clean the incoming air, filter units I04 of any approved form are interposed in the air stream through the unit. In one form it is installed within the unit housing and over the louvered casing intakes where the filter means are held by any appropriate means, such that all of the incoming air must pass through some portion of the filter before it reaches the blower. In the form illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 member I06 secured to the sub-panel provide a ledge spaced from the walls of the casing for holding one edge of the filter units, while other members I08 afiixed to the inside of the wall members operate to hold the top edge of the filter units against the wall members.

In the form shown in Figs. and 6, the outer casing is supported so that the lower edges 58 are spaced from the floor such as to provide what may be called a toe space 6|. Auxiliary wall members 63, 63 and 85 extend beneath the sub-panel 52 to engage the floor as above described, and cooperate with the extension of the back wall 38 to form the boundaries of the plenum chamber 84. To support the outer casing at the front and ends the sub-panel 52 may be extended to provide the apertured overhangs 61, 81 and 89 beyond the auxiliary wall members to join the terminating flanges of the side walls. The apertures of these overhangs provide the inlet openings of the casing and need not be louvered as in the case of the modification of Figs. 2 to 4. In this case the filter units I04 are placed over the apertured overhangs 81, 61 and 89 so that all of the incoming air must pass through some part of the filters.

Either of the conversion units so constructed is adapted to be moved into place over the cold air opening 23 and the service cord to the motor 82 plugged into the electric socket, whereupon the installation is complete. An air seal is automatically made as the conversion unit is set into place, whether it be an instance where the register 24 is set in flush with the floor as shown in Fig. 1, or whether the register has a flange or part extending above the floor as in the case of Fi 3.

Where the building construction is such as to permit, it is preferred that the register 24 be removed from the cold air opening, and that the conversion unit be set directly upon the floor to cover the cold-air opening. The form of conversion unit shown in Figs. 1 to 4 being of larger floor engaging portions, will accommodate a large variety of sizesand shapes of fioor open-' ings, and will suffice in the majority of installations. Where the conversion unit is of a design witha smaller floor engagement portion, or where it is of the off-set form providing the toe space such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it may be necessary in some instances, such as where the cold-air opening extends to one side or another of the floor engaging portion, to provide a mask or false bottom of air impervious material to cover that extending part of the opening. In all instances, a seal against air fiow between the fioor and fioor engaging portions will be established so that air can get to the cold air ductt 28 only by passing through the conversion um To assist in placing the conversion unit in close proximity to a wall of a room, such as the wall IIO Fig. 1, it is advisable to offset the lower portions of the back wall or panel member 38, to make way for the carpet strip H2, and baseboard II4, and so that the back panel 38 of the unit easing may be brought into engagement with the wall surface of a building. That has,

been found to be of particular advantage where the conversion unit is to be set in a relatively narrow hall or passage.

While the filter material has been shown and described as contained within the casing immediately over the inlet openings, it may be situated otherwise. It has been contemplated that the filter material may be placed on the exhaust side of the blower, such as in theplenum chamber, or elsewhere as in the duct system. In some instances of heater installation the filters are incorporated as a part of the original heating equipment, and where that isthe case it is not necessary to use the filters provided for the conversion unit. In the disclosed embodiments the filters are readily removable for cleaning or replacement as desired. In either form of construction, the cold air, when the unit is cycling,

is forcefully drawn into the casing through the inlet openings and thence into the interior of the blower. The blower in rotating forces the air radially outward into the chamber of the housing 68 from whence it passes through the opening 58 into the plenum chamber 84 where the air expands to pass into the cold air return opening on its way to the base of the furnace.

Designedly, the conversion unit casing has the air inlet openirgs situated in relatively close proximity to the floor of the room of the building to be served, so that when operating the unit will purge the room of its cold air first, and then move that air under pressure to the heating unit to be heated and retume'd to the rooms above. The return of the heated air aids in pushing a new layer of air down toward the floor to replace adopted as a table top, suitable to hold a lamp,

or books I22, or the like. Where so desired the conversion unit, as a package may also be equipped with an auxiliary or supplemental control, such as an overheat control, with appropriate connection into the service cord for the electric motor. Controls of the nature are well known to those skilled in the art, and their inclusion or exclusion, since optional, does not alter the novelty of the instant invention.

Applicant is aware that others have devoted some thought to solutions of the problem, but so far as now advised, all of theresulting devices have failed to accomplish the desired results. One such device is that disclosed in the patent to Robinson 1,843,786 dated February 2, 1932. By that disclosure, a conventional four bladed air circulating fan is mounted within a short length of tubular duct to serve as a support for the fan in eflecting either a vertical or -a horizontal stream of air. However, there is no contemplation of purging the space to be assaecs means along the plane of said walls adapted to engage a floor surface by which the ca'sing'is supported. a bottom wall member in the casing spaced above the floor leveland provided with a large aperture, centrifugal blower means sullported above the bottom wall and arranged to discharge its entire output through said large aperture into the space below said bottom wall,

air inlet means through said perimetric walls opening to the interior of said casing above the said bottom wall, said blower means operating to accelerate the inward movement of air through I said inlet means.

heated of the cold air nearest the floor, for when the unit is arranged to produce a vertical down- 'ward air stream, its intake is at a point somewhat above the floor lever which will draw of! a stratum of cool air but not the coldest air nearest the floor. Neither is there any contemplation of stopping air leakage between the outlet of the blower unit and the entrance to the cold air duct. Air lodged in the duct system may oppose the delivery of the unit to such an estent that the air will be returned to the room through that portion of the register surrounding the fan housing. Likewise, there is no provision of an expansion chamber or plenum chamber that allows for the desired practically necessary expansion of the air stream from the blower before it enters the duct system. In Robinson, the available area of the register for passing the air stream is the same as the area of the fan housing. In contrast with that, the applicant has devised a structure that forcibly withdraws the coldest air that lays next to the floor of the space to be heated and forces it into the duct claims which follow. What is claimed is as follows:

l. A unit of the class described for transforming a conventional gravity air circulating system into a forced air circulating system, comprising in combination, a motor driven blower unit, a casing engaging the floor in sealing relation for enclosing the blower unit and providing a subpanel spaced from the lower edge of the casing to divide the easing into a blower housing and a plenum chamber, means supporting the blower unit upon the sub-panel and for suppressing vibrations therefrom, outlet means from said blower unit through said sub-panel into the plenum chamber, inlet means through said casing to said blower unit, and air filtering means disposed over said inlet means.

' I .-2. A unit of the class described for transforming a conventional gravity air circulating system into a forced air circulating system, comprising in combination, a casing having perimetric walls upon the floor in fluid tight relation therewith.

a wall in said casing substantially parallel with and spaced above the floor dividing the easing into an impeller housing and a plenum chamber having communication with said floor opening,

air inlet openings-in the walls of said casing leading to the impeller housing, air impelling means for drawing air into the casing through said inlet openings, and a housing about said air impelling means directing all of the air drawn in through the inlet openings, through an opening in said parallel wall and into said plenum chamber, said circulating unit converting the gravity system into one of forced circulation.

4. In a warm air heating system for a building having a cold air return opening in the floor thereof through which cold air normally flows by gravity in returning to the heating unit, the combination comprising, a casing providing walls normally joined against air leakage, and adapted to rest upon the floor around or over said cold air opening for supporting the casing, one

of said walls being oifset in part to receive the above the level of the floor on which the casing.

is to be supported, a centrifugal blower within the casing and arranged to discharge downward- 5. An air circulating unit for transforming a conventional gravity air circulating system into ending in a substantially common plane, sealing I6 through said sub-panel into the plenum chamber, inlet means provided by the casing for supplying air to the blower unit, and means interposed in the air stream to said blower unit for filtering the air supply.

6. In a warm air heating system for a building having a cold air return opening in the floor thereof through which cold air normally flows by gravity in returning to the heating unit, the combination of an air circulating unit, comprising, a casing having floor engaging portions adapted to rest upon the floor in substantial sealing relation and surround the cold-air return opening, air blowing means enclosed within the casing, a blower housing within the casing surrounding the blower, and partition means within the casing supporting the air blowing means above the floor engaging portion of said casing so as to form an expansion chamber for the air stream before discharge into the cold-air return opening, said casing providing air inlet means to said air blow ing means, whereby upon operation of the air blowing means an airstream is established from adjacent the floor surrounding the casing, through the circulating unit and into the cold-air return opening.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5, wherein the air inlet means provided by the casing comprise inwardly directed louvers situated above the level of th floor engaging portions of casing and above the partition means but localized in the lower half of the blower enclosing portion.

8. In a gravity circulating system for warm air heating plants, having a cold-air return opening from a space to be heated by said system, means for converting the system to one of forced circulation comprising in combination, a casing adapted to be located in the space to be heated, and cover the cold-air return opening, said casing having a partition therein isolating a blower compartment from an expansion chamber which latter opens directly into said cold air return opening, an opening connecting the blower compartment and expansion chamber, ablower disposed to cover 'the said partition opening and discharge through said partition opening into said expansion chamber, an air intake for said casing leading to said blower, and sealing means preventing the discharge of said blower passing into the blower compartment or into the space to be heated.

9. In a warm air heating system having a cold air return opening in the floor of a room, a housing to be positioned on' the floor to cover said re turn opening, vibration absorbing and airflow stopping means interposed between the housing and the floor, a bottom wall closing off the bottom of the housing and spaced above the said floor opening to form a plenum chamber, a centrifugal blower having a casing disposed within and spaced from said housing, said bottom wall supporting said blower and having an opening therethrough from said blower casing into said plenum chamber, and air filtering openings through the bottom half of said housing admitting outside air to the space between the housing and blower casing, whereby said blower is adapted to discharge air under compression to the plenum chamber where it is permitted to expand before being driven through the floor opening.

10. A blower unit for converting a gravity return warm-air heating system to a forced air heating system, comprising in combination, a, unit of furniture having a casing resting on the floor in sealing engagement about a return opening therein, a horizontal partition in the casing dividing it into a blower compartment and an expansion chamber and providing an opening therebetween, a motor driven centrifugal blower within the casing arranged to completely cover and discharge through said partition opening into said expansion chamber, said casing having inlet openings in the lower half thereof leading to the intake of said blower above the partition, and

air filtering means interposed in the air-stream between the intake through the casing and the discharge from the expansion chamber.

WILLIAM DEANE EVANS.

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