US2662746A

US2662746A - Heat exchange panel structure

Info

Publication number: US2662746A
Application number: US272136A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert T Jorn
Original assignee: Burgess-Manning Co
Current assignee: Burgess-Manning Co
Priority date: 1952-02-18
Filing date: 1952-02-18
Publication date: 1953-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1953 A. T. JORN HEAT EXCHANGE PANEL STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 18, 1952 Patented Dec. 15, 1953 Albert T. Jorn, Grayslake, IlL, assignor to Burs, gees-Manning Company, Libertyville, 111., a cor poration of Illinois Application February18, 1952, Serial No. 272,136

'1 Claims. 257-124) This invention relates to panel ceiling structures which are used for heating rooms by what has come to be known as panel heating or radiant heating systems. It may, if desired, be used for cooling purposes. The invention herein described is particularly directed to an improved form of ceiling panel and integral support therefor for use in such a radiant ceiling structure, providing enhanced heat transfer efliciency, simplicity, security of installation, and ease of installation and removal.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of illustrative constructions, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one form of a ceiling panel embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a series of panels showing their arrangement in the ceiling structure;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form.

of panel embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the manner of installation of the panels og Figs. 4 and5.

In accordance with the present invention, the ceiling panel or pan dealt with in this invention has a broad, flat surface and flanges integral therewith and extending upwardly from opposite margins of the broad panelv surface and embodying integral pipe hooks or clamps, suitably dovetailed to provide for interrelationship with adj oining panels in the ceiling structure, the hooks or clampsbeing provided as means for supporting the panel and for conducting heat to or from the radiating surface of the panel. The panels are preferably fabricated. from sheet material, such as aluminum, having a high heat conductivity capacity. The panel flanges used to support the panel in the ceiling structure are intended to engage pipes which serve both to support and heat the ceiling panel units. I

Two forms of ceiling panel are illustrated in the drawings. In the form of the device shown in Figs. 1-3, the ceiling panel element therein illustrated is a pan-like device having broad flatsurface areas I and 2,

flat side flanges

3 and 4 extending upwardly at right angles along the opposite sides of the broad surfacearea of the panel, and

end flanges

5 and 6 extending upwardly along opposite ends of the panel. In the particular form of the device. here illustrated, the periph eral areas of broad faces I and 2 are beveled, as at l, a V-groove 8 is impressed from side to side midway between the ends of the panel to form tile-like faces, for aesthetic effects, and the broad surfaces are perforated to permit the passage of sound to suitable sound absorbing material arranged above the panels in the ceiling structure, not shown in the drawing.

Pipes 9 (Fig. 3) constitute the source of heat, being connected to a suitable header (not shown) to receivetherethrough a fluid heat conductor, such as water, and they also provide the elements upon which the panels are supported, as being hung therefrom or clamped thereto.

The principal

functionof side flanges

3 and 4 is to stiffen thepanel units so that they may be more easily handled without damage and the finished ceiling may have a pleasing appearance.

While end flanges 5 and Galso serve to stiffen the panel structure, their principal function in accordance with the present invention is .to serve as integral hook or clampsupports for the panel unit in the suspended ceiling and furnish heat conduction between the surfaces of pipes 9 and the panel. The extremities of

flanges

5 and 6 are formed into hook-

like elements

5a and 6a, the curvature of these elements conforming generally to that of the surfaces of pipes 9 which they engage in the ceiling assembly. The hook-like elements open or face. in the same direction for ease of installation of the panel unit upon the pipes. The normal curvature of these elements is somewhat greater than that of the external surfaces of pipes 9 and the arcuate portions of the flanges extend over an angle of somewhat greater than whereby the hook-like; elements will resiliently clamp the pipes when installed. The extreme edge portionsof hooked

extremities

5a and 6a are desirably turned outwardly, as at l0 for ease of installation. i

The hooked

extremities

5a and 6a, of the

end flanges

5 and 6 ofthepanel do not extend the full width of the panels but are complementary so that the flanges of adjoining'panels do not overlie each other but dovetail upon the supporting pipes, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to approximately equalize the rate of transfer of heat from the pipes to;the faces .I and 2 of the panel, the length. of flange hook 60, located at the middle section of flange 6 at one end of the panel, is equal to about half of the width of the panel, andeach of the flange hooks 5a. at the opposite end of the panel are equal in length toabout one-quarter of the width of the panel.

3 Thus, hook-like elements in are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to, or preferably slightly greater than, the length of hook-like elements 6a.

The arrangement oi th panels oi! Fig. 1 to form the radiant panel ceiling is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Each panel is installed in succession by hooking the mnge llodts onto a pair of adjoining pipes, the spacing of the pipes being equal to the lengths of the panels. The panels are installed by proceeding in courses, the direction of work in the series illustrated in Fig. 2 being from left to right. A portion of

side flanges

3 and 4 adjacent end flange B is cut away, as at H, to permit entry of the pipe into the hook 6a. Because the hook-

like elements

5a and 6a face in the same dimmbbth ends a the panel may be forced upon the set of adjoining pipes simultaneously with downward movement of the panel, the hook-like extremities 5a and So being Iorced'open slightly in this process as the panel snaps'into position by virtue of the strain in the somewhat 'spri'ngy metal from which the panels are fabricated.

Suitable moldings, not shown, may be employed to finish the edges of the ceiling.

In the completed suspended radiant panel ceiling assembly, as used for heating, hotwater is circulated through pipes 9, and the heat flows from the pipes through the metal of flanges 5 and t to faces I and 2 of the panels and is then radiated to the room below. The panel ceilingsurface may be decorated as desired.

If it should become necessary or any reason to remove one or more of the ceilingpa-nel units after installation, it is only necessary to apply suiflcient pressure to the end of a panel adjacent flange 5 to disengage the hook-like elements 5a from the pipe, after which the adjoining panel may be lifted in its entirety from its position; Any number of panels may thusconveniently removed and subsequently replaced.

A modified form of e'eiling panel illustratedin- Figs. 4-6 is similar-to the form above described inconneetion with Figs 1-3- in that the curved-extremities of the end flanges directly engage the supporting heating pipes and dovetail with the end flanges of adjoining panels',.but difl'er'in that the flange extremities are more: in the form" 01' spring clamps opening upwardly as-distinguished from the hook-like flange extremities 5a" and which carry over the top surfaces of the pipes and must therefore be install'edb'y pulling the panels downwardly uponthe pipes.

Like the ceiling panel already destzrlbad the device of Figs. 4-6- is a pan-like unit having/flat faces I and 2, side flanges 3

andl'and end flanges

5 and 6. The upper portions of the end flanges are divided into a plurality of tabs or fingers, all of which are formed to oontorm to the curva-- ture of pipes 9 which they are intended to engage. These tabs or spring fingers on eachend of the panel alternate in the direction that they extend from the-end flanges-of the panelwith the result; that the'curved tabs of -each end'provide'resilient clamps opening upwardly and are adapted to grip the opposite sides of asing-1e sup orting pipe.

Spring tabs

5b and 6b extend outwardly from the respective ends of the panel, while spring tabs 5c and to return back-overthe'end portions of the respectiveends of the panel. The

upper edges of the'spring tabs may be" flared, as

shown, for ease in snapping the" panel into posl tion on the pipes. It-is'desirable to-carry' thetabs as far around the pipe as'th'e limit of elasticity 4 of the material will permit in order to insure against slippage and in order to increase the area of contact between the panel flanges and the pipes.

To avoid interference of the structural parts of the panels as they are installed in the ceiling, portions of theend flanges must be cut away. In the particulariorm of panel slmwn. out-outs are provided at id to accommodate spring tabs 6b of the immediately adjoining panel, and cut-outs 8d are provided at the other end of the panel to accommodate outwardly extending flange tabs 5b of theimmediately adjoining panel. It will be understood that each cut-out is located oppos'ite trom an outwardly extending tab and is or approximately the same width as the width of the opposite tab.

It will be understood that the particular arrangemnt of tabs and cut-outs shown in the drawing are merely illustrative of one suitable arrangement, many others being possible. It is desirable that the cut-outs be minimized in order to provide maximum heat bridge for the highest possible heat conductivity. If desired, for ex ample, outwardly extending

flange tabs

5b and 6b at the middle portions of the ends of the panel may be eliminated, in which event the entire middle portions of the end flanges may be formed into single continuous flange clamping elements 5e'and 6c. 1

In installing the panels of Figs. 4-6 in the sus pended ceiling, adjoining ends of a-pair of flanges are first meshed, as shown in 6, after which this meshed assembly is forced upwardly into clamping engagement with pipe 8. Work proceeds in courses throughout the length or width of the ceiling, the free end of a partially installed panel being meshed with another panel from stock to complete the installation of each panel. The final result is a securely attached panel-ceiling structure having excellent thermal characteristics' and having the further advantage that the panels, or any number of them, may be pulled awayfrom the supporting pipes if necessary for access to the space above the ceiling.

Inventionis-claimed as-follows: 1

1. In a panel ceiling for a heat transfer sys-- tem including a plurality of spaced apart fluid conducting pipes and a plurality of panels arranged in a plane to form a ceiling surface, that improvement therein in which the panels have integral flanges oppositely disposed on the and said flanges have arcuate extremities whiche'ngage the pipes under resilient pressure to provide both support means'for the panel from the pipies andheat conduction between the pipes and the panel, said arcuate extremities of said oppositely disposed flanges being discontinuous and mutuallycomplernentary whereby said arouatecxtremities of the flanges of adjoining' panels dovetail'upon the pipes, at least part of the arouate extremity'of one flange of a panel facing in the'sam'e direction as at least part of the arcuate' extremity of the oppositely disposed flange of said panel. v f g 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the arouat'e extremities of both oppositely disposed flanges are tangential to the flanges from which they extend and hook over the pipes.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein all arcuate extremities face in the same direction.

4. The structure of claim l' wh'erein part-'01 the arcuate extremity of each of the oppositely disposed flanges of a panel face in adlr'ectio'n posite-t'o that'or the flrst-mentioned partoi th'e arcuate extremities, the oppositely facing parts of the arcuate extremities of each flange together extending slightly more than halfway around a pipe and cooperating to resiliently clamp the pipe between them.

5. In a panel for a wall or ceiling panel heating system including a plurality of spaced apart fluid conducting pipes and a plurality of panels arranged in a plane to form a wall or ceiling surface, that improvement therein in which the panel has integral oppositely disposed flanges and said flanges have hook-shape extremities facing in the same direction and adapted to engage the pipes under resilient pressure, said hook-shape extremities being adapted to hook over a pipe to provide both support means for the panel on the pipe and heat conduction between the pipe and the panel, said hook-shape extremities extending less than the full length of the associated flange and being mutually complementary whereby the hook-shape extremities of the flanges of adjoining panels dovetail upon the pipes.

6. In a panel for a wall or ceiling panel heating system including a plurality of spaced apart fluid conducting pipes and a plurality of panels arranged in a plane to form a, wall or ceiling surface, that improvement therein in which the pane1 has integral oppositely disposed flanges, a plurality of resilient arcuate tabs extending from each of said flanges, each flange having tabs which respectively face in opposite directions and cooperate to form a spring clamp of slightly more than degrees adapted to resiliently clamp a pipe and thus support the panel therefrom.

7. In a panel for a wallor ceiling panel heating system including a plurality of spaced apart fluid conducting pipes and a plurality of panels arranged in a plane to form a wall or ceiling surface, that improvement therein in which the panel has integral oppositely disposed flanges, each flange having a series of resilient arcuate tabs extending from each of said flanges, some of said tabs on each said flange extending back over the panel and facing outwardly therefrom and some extending outwardly from the panel and facing inwardly, the tabs of each said series cooperating to form a spring clamp of slightly more than 180 degrees adapted to resiliently clamp a pipe and thus support the panel therefrom, each said flange having cut-outs located opposite the tabs extending outwardly from the panel to accommodate tabs of adjoining panels in a dovetail arrangement of the resilient tabs upon the pipes.

ALBERT T. JORN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,726,500 Norris Aug. 27, 1929 2,075,368 Squassi Mar. 30, 1937 2,377,398 Brostrom June 5, 1945