US2900892A - Ventilators - Google Patents

Description

.' Aug. 25, 1959 w. SHEPHERD 2,900,892

VENTILATORS Original Filed July 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet i MW ll ml n INVENTOR H WyIey Shepherd MW/Q1 ATTORNEY 7 5, 1959 w. SHEPHERD 2,900,892

\ VENTILATORS Original Filed July 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wyley Shepherd ATTORNEY INVENTOR United States Patent Otiice 2,963,892 Patented Aug. 25, 1959 VENTILATORS Wyley Shepherd, Miami, Fla.

6 Claims. (Cl. 98-43) This invention relates to means for ventilating build ings, and more particularly to roof ventilators having a casing adapted to be secured to a roof as an upright outlet extension of an opening through the roof and having a ventilating fan in the casing.

Roof ventilators, as known heretofore, have suffered from the greatgdisadvantage that they did noteffectively .shut out the elements during periods of use as well..as during periods of idleness. In a high wind or a driving rainstorm, the roof ventilators known heretofore would often permit entry of rain water into the building to which they were attached, with resulting damage to the interior of the building. Alternatively, strong winds would often 'tear the roof ventilators of the prior art loose from their fastenings on the roof, or at the very least would blow back through the ventilator and forceexhaust gasesback into the building from which they were withdrawn.

In an effort to overcome the above disadvantages, a number of expedientshave been tried. For example, it has been'proposedto provide roof ventilators with various types of hoods or coverings for protective purposes.

Thus, in US. Patent No. 2,332,552, issued October 26, 1943, to Belanger, an assembly of hood and shutters Was provided'which was designed to exclude the elements; however, this expedient nevertheless permitted the entry of driving rain into the casing past the shutters which were open in use. Moreover, this structure was subject to back draft when in use, was liable to be tornfrom its mounting in a strong wind, and not afford easy access to the drive motor when assembled. In U.S. Patent No. 2,551,004, issued May 1, 1951, to Johnsomit was proposed that the hood be pivotallywmounted; but this expedient, was likewise unavailing, since the hood of Johnson did not exclude the elements when the ventilater was in use, nor did it afford easy access to the fan drive motor. H t p v t Although a num berwof other attempts were made to overcome the foregoing difiicultiesand disadvantages of the prior art roof-ventilators, none, -so far as I know, was entirely successful when carried into practice commercially on an industrial scale.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a roof ventilator which will exclude the elements when the ventilator is in use a s well as when it is not in use.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a roof ventilator of which all the working parts are readily accessible from the .roof side of the ventilator, thereby eliminating the awkwardness and hazard of using ladders or scaifoldingto :reach the; working parts for repair and niaintenance from withinthe building.

.The 'invention also-contemplates the provision -of a roof ventilator inwhich the working parts are readily accessible without disassembly of any portion of the structure surrounding the working parts.

It is' a 'further objectof the invention to provide a roof ventilator inwhic'hback draft due to strongwinds will be reduced "to a minimum,

Still another 'dlije'et of the invention is "the provision" of El a roof ventilator which will not be susceptible of dislodgment from its fastcnings in a strong wind.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a roof ventilator adapted to serve either as an intake or an exhaust ventilator. H

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a roof ventilator in which the air passageways are so arranged as to permit the movement of very great quantities of air without obstruction to its even flow.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a roof ventilator that is efficient in operation, that is easily installed, operated and repaired, and that is economical of manufacture and rugged and enduring in construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent by the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a roof ventilator according to the invention, showing the hood in closed position, which is the operative position of the ventilator.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the hood in open position, which is the inoperative position of the ventilator.

Figure 3 is an elevational cross sectional View of a ventilator according to my invention, taken on the line 33 of Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but taken on the line 44 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View of a ventilator according tothe invention, taken from below on the line 5-5 of Figure 4-, looking up.

Broadly stated, the present invention contemplates the provisionof a roof ventilator having a casing adapted to be securedto a roof as an upright outlet extension of an opening through said roof and having a ventilating fan in the casing, and a hood over the casing to protect it from the elements. Thehood may be mounted on the casing for pivotal movement about a. substantially horizontal axis which may be disposed intermediatethe horizontal length of the hood. The horizontal width and length of the hood may be substantially greater than the horizontal width and length of the casing; and the hood may be of downwardly concave shape so as to provide in effect a cap disposed over but spaced from the upper portion of the casing. The upper marginal portion of the casing may be disposed as high as or higher than the lower marginal portion of the hood to provide subst-antially complete protection from the elements. The hood may be provided interiorly with a downwardly projecting pyramidal deflector to facilitate the passage of air through the ventilator. The motor may be mounted on the outside of the casing and protected from the weather by the hood, or mounted on the outside, of the hood and protected by a separate casing; but in either event, upward tilting movement of the hood .will provide access to the motor, as well as to the other working parts.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows in side elevation a first form of roof ventilator according to the invention, and comprising a trunk or casing 10 which may be of generally rectangular or circular shape,

and which is adapted to be secured to the roof 12, as an upright outlet extension of an opening 14 through the roof, as best seen in Figure 3. The casing may be secured to the roof in any suitable manner, and flashing may be provided if desired to insure a weather-tight joint. A fan ring 16 is mounted in the upper portion of casing 10 as by welding, riveting, brazing, bolting, or the like, and is nicely rounded upwardly to a substantially circular throat opening, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. It will of course be understood that fan ring 16 may also be inverted fronrits illustrated position, and may take a variety of ring forms. Extending across thethr'oa't -of 51% fan ring 16 is a pair of crossbars 18 attached at each end to the fan ring and braced intermediate their lengths by offset bracing struts 26 which are attached at one end to the fan ring and at the other end to their respective crossbar 18.

Mounted firmly on the crossbars 18 is a bearing member 22 in which fan shaft 24 is journaled for rotation about a vertical axis disposed between crossbars 18. At the upper end of fan shaft 24 are mounted a plurality of fan blades 26, so inclined that when fan shaft 24 turns in one direction, the air adjacent the blades 26 will be propelled in one direction, and when fan shaft 24 turns in the other direction, the air will be propelled by the blades 26 in the opposite direction. At the opposite or lower end of fan shaft 24 is mounted a fan pulley 28, for a purpose to be described hereinafter. It will of course be understood that the positions of the blades 26 and pulley 28 on shaft 24 may be reversed, so that the pulley is at the upper end of the shaft and the blades at the lower end.

Secured along the upper marginal portion of a side of casing as by welding or riveting or the like is a substantially horizontal first hood support member 30, as seen from below in Figure 5. Member 30 extends laterally outwardly from the sides of casing 10, as shown by projection 32. In other words, the length of member 30 is substantially greater than the width of casing 10. Member 3'!) may be a bar or channel or other convenient structural form. The outer extremities of member 30 are provided with downturned ends 34 which carry substantially horizontally outwardly projecting pins 36, for a' purpose to be described hereinafter.

At the opposite end of casing 10, adjacent an upper marginal portion thereof is a second hood support member 38, which also extends full width of casing 10, and extends laterally therebeyond substantially equal distances on either side thereof, as at projections 40. Projeotions 40 are provided with downturned ends 42 hearing at their lower extremities outwardly projecting horizontal ears 44 which are provided with holes 46 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Thus, it will be seen that ears 44 provide in effect downwardly offset terminal portions of second hood support member 38.

Pivotally mounted on pins 36 is a hood 48 having rounded end portions 50 and vertical sides 52. Hood 48 thus is generally downwardly concave. It will also be observed that the horizontal length of hood 48 is substantially greater than the horizontal length of casing 10; and that the horizontal width of hood 48, as represented approximately by the length of members 36 and 38, is substantially greater than the horizontal width of casing 10. By virtue of the concavity and greater horizontal dimensions of the hood, it will be observed that the hood is at all points spaced a substantial distance from the casing, but that at the same time, the hood forms in effect a cap over and around the upper portion of the casing. It must also be noted that the lower marginal portion of hood 48 extends at least as low as the upper 7 marginal portion of casing 10, as represented by the upper edge of the casing itself or by the upper edge of fan ring 16. Indeed, in Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that the upper marginal portion of the casing 10 extends somewhat above the plane of the lower marginal portion of hood 48.

Depending from the upper interior surface of hood 48 substantially centrally thereof is a generally pyramidal deflector 54, which is made up of four equally inclined triangular pieces of sheet material of which the apices meet at the lowest point on the deflector to form the nadir of the pyramid. From the positioning of this inverted pyramid directly above the fan, it will be obvious that air passages are provided which provide for the flow of air on all sides of the casing 10, both on the inside and on the outside thereof. For example, it will be obvious that the path of air leaving a building through the ventilator of the invention will resemble the path of water in a fountain formed by directing a stream of water straight up. Similarly, the path of air flowing into a building through the ventilator will be the exact reverse. In other words, the novel shape and relation ship of parts just described provides a smooth and even air flow over an unobstructed course.

Mounted on a vertical side 52 of hood 48 is a motor casing 56 having a flat top and a single curved side wall. Casing 56 is open at its bottom, but otherwise compietely encloses fan motor 58 which may be a conventional electric motor having conventional wiring circuits and switches, not shown. Motor 58 is fastened to a motor mounting plate 60 which in turn is adjustably carried by base plate 62 mounted on vertical sides 52, by means of threaded bolts 64. Adjustment of motor mounting plate 60 toward and away from base plate 62, for a purpose to be described hereinafter, is aiforded by adjusting nuts 66 which may be screwed up and down on threaded bolts 64. Motor 58 is vertically disposed and is provided with a downwardly depending drive shaft 68 having at its lower end drive pulley 70, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Interconnecting fan pulley 28 and drive pulley 70 is a fan drive belt 72, which may be a V-belt or other conventional form of drive belt. Mounted on the inside of casing 10 and enclosing fan pulley 28 and the portion of drive belt 72 which is inside the casing is a fan belt casing 74 which forms a first fan belt guard. This fan belt casing encloses the inner portion of the belt and the whole of the fan pulley substantially completely and protects them from dirt and extraneous matter or corrosive fumes which may be drawn into or expelled from the building. Mounted on the outside of the casing 10 and extending substantially between the casing and motor 58 is a second fan belt guard 76, which does not completely enclose the outer portion of the fan drive belt 72, but

which is provided only with a top and sides. Guard 76 may desirably be formed from a single piece of sheet material simply by bending down the two side edges of the sheet which has previously been cut to tapered form in order to accommodate the convergence or divergence of the two runs of the drive belt occasioned by differential diameters of the fan pulley and the drive pulley. Thus, a second fan belt guard is provided which is effective to prevent or reduce damage to that portion of the drive belt which lies between casing 10 and hood 48.

The operation of the device of Figures 1 through 5 is as follows:

When it is desired to exhaust air or other gases from a building on which the ventilator is mounted, motor 58 is actuated so that drives haft 68 turns in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 5. Fan blades 26 will then draw air up from the building and project it against deflector 54. Deflector 54 will distribute the air in all directions so that it will spread out horizontally from the axis of rotation of the fan in all directions. The air will then be deflected downwardly by sides 52 and end portion 50 of hood 48, and will pass into the outer air adjacent the sides of casing 10. Conversely, when it is desired to bring outside air into the building on which the ventilator is mounted, it is merely necessary to actuate the motor in the reverse direction, in which case blades 26 will draw air in through the reverse path. In

either event, it is obvious that a smooth, fountain-like air flow is provided, which requires a minimum of power expenditure and enables the handling of the maximum quantities of air with the smallest possible ventilating unit. A primary feature of this fountain-like air flow is that air enters the ventilator from all sides thereof and passes out through the ventilator about all sides thereof. Thus, the stresses induced in the ventilatorby the pressure of air passing therethrough are reduced to a minimum in the ventilator of the invention, since the air moving on all sides of the ventilator equalizes the pressures exerted assassin the moving air in the ventilator. l a

It will also be observed that with the hood down in operative position, as shown in Figure 3, driving rain can not enter the ventilator unit even when the unit is in use. As is. well known, raindrops blown by winds of hurricane force often travel substantially horizontally, with the result that they have no ditficulty entering most louvred air vent structures. However, in the structure of the present invention, in which the lower marginal portion of the hook extends on all sides of the casing at least as far down as the upper marginal portion of that casing, even raindrops traveling horizontally cannot find entry to casing 10. By the same token, the profile of my novel ventilator is so reduced in elevational area and in height that strong winds have much less tendency to loosen it from its fastenings on the roof. Moreover, the circuitous air paths afforded by my novel construction greatly reduce backdraft through the ventilator when it is being used as an exhaust unit; and the desirable streamline shape enabled by the use of these circuitous routes further reduces wind resistance of the ventilator unit.

When it is desired to have access to the fan or motor for cleaning or repair, or when it is desired for any other reason to expose the working parts, the hood 48 is merely swung up, \as shown in Figure 2. It will be observed that the hood pivots upwardly about its mounting pins 36, which forms a horizontal pivotal axis disposed intermediate the horizontal length of the hood and transverse thereto. With the hood in raised position, the fan is readily accessible; and since the motor is carried with the hood in a downwardly open casing 56, upward swinging movement of the hood renders motor 58 readily accessible without the inconvenience of working from below.

When it is desired to return the ventilator to operative condition, the hood is simply swung down again to its closed or forward position, in which its rests adjacent its swinging end but intermediate its horizontal length on horizontal cars 44, which are downwardly offset as aforesaid so that when the hood is resting thereon, the lower marginal portion of the hood will be disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the roof. In other words, the downward offset levels the hood. Wing nuts 78 are adapted to register through holes 46 and corresponding holes in the lower marginal portion of the hood, in order to hold the hood in its lowered position. Needless to say, the wing nuts must be loosened before the hood can be swung upwardly and must be re-engaged in order to hold the hood in its lowered position. Instead of holes 46, it will of course be apparent that wing nuts 78 could be pivotally mounted on hood 48 to swing into and out of outwardly opening slots in horizontal ears 44.

When the ventilator is in operation, pulleys 28 and 70 are drivingly connected by belt 72; and hence, when hood 48 is swung upward, it is obviously necessary to disengage the belt from one or another of the pulleys. To this end, I have mounted motor 58 in such a way that it will be movable inwardly or outwardly, toward or away from the fan. In order to effect this movement, adjusting nuts 66 are screwed inwardly or outwardly on threaded bolts 64. For example, when it is desired to move motor 58 inwardly to release belt 72 from pulley 70, the adjusting nuts 66 contacting the inner side of motor mounting plate 60 are screwed inwardly toward base plate 62. Plate 60 may then be moved inwardly; and if desired, nuts 66 on the outer or motor side of plate 60 may also be screwed inwardly on bolts 64 to hold motor 58 inits inward or ineifective position during upward swinging of hood 48. Conversely, when hood 48 is lowered and the ventilator is once more placed in operative arrangement, belt 72 will again be slipped over pulley 70 and the nuts 66 on either side of plate 60 Screwed outwardly to tension belt 72 betwen pulleys 28 and 70 andmaintain motor 58 in its operative or driving position.

This application is a division -of my copending application Serial Number 441,236, filed July 6, 1954.

Although the presentinvention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be under- .stood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the artwill readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and appended claims.

I claim:

1. A roof ventilator comprising in combination a casing open at its top and bottom and adapted to be mounted on a roof over an opening therein, a fan mounted in said casing for rotation about a vertical axis, a downwardly concave hood mounted on and over said casing for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed more closely adjacent one side of the hood than the opposite side of the hood, said downwardly concave hood having a substantially vertical side, a fan. motor mounted on the outer side of said substantially vertical side of said hood a substantial distance from said axis and on the same side of said axis as said opposite side of the hood, said motor having a downwardly extending vertical drive shaft, detachable means drivingly connecting said drive shaft and said fan, and a motor casing mounted on the outer side of said substantially vertical side of said hood and enclosing said motor but open at its bottom, whereby better access to said motor is atforded upon upward swinging of said hood about said horizontal axis, said motor and casing being disposed outside the air stream.

2. The invention of claim 1, in which said drivingly connecting means comprises a drive belt, and means for moving said motor toward and away fromsaid fan, whereby said drive belt may be respectively disengaged from and re-engaged with said drive shaft before and after said upward swinging of said hood.

3. A roof ventilator comprising in combination a casing open at its top and bottom and adapted to be mounted on a roof over an opening therein, said casing having at least one side wall, a fan mounted in said casing for rotation about a vertical axis, a downwardly concave hood mounted on and over said casing for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis disposed more closely adjacent one side of the hood than the opposite side of the hood, said downwardly concave hood having a substantially vertical side spaced outwardly from said side wall of said casing a substantial, horizontal distance, 'a fan motor mounted on the outer side of said substantially vertical side of said hood a substantial distance from said axis and on the same side of said axis as said opposite side of the hood, said motor having a downwardly extending vertical drive shaft, detachable means drivingly connecting said drive shaft and said fan, and a motor casing mounted on the outer side of said substantially vertical side of said hood and enclosing said motor but open at its bottom, whereby better access to said motor is afforded upon upward swinging of said hood about said horizontal axis, said motor and easing being disposed outside the air stream.

4. The invention of claim 3, in which said drivingly connecting means comprises a drive belt, and means for moving said motor toward and away from said fan, whereby said drive belt may be respectively disengaged from and re-engaged with said drive shaft before and after said upward swinging of said hood.

5. The invention of claim 4, in which said drive belt. extends through an opening in said side of said casing.

6. The invention of claim 4, and a first drive belt guard mounted on the inner side of said side of said. casing, and a second drive belt guard mounted on the" outer side of said side of said casing and extending sub-- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jacoby Feb. 23, 1897 Nowitsky Apr. 25, 1933 Sutclifie Sept. 15, 1936 10 '8 Hopkins May 9, 1939 Winton Apr. 23, 1940 Boyer Oct. 15, 1940 Hi-rschman Apr.,14, 1942 Belanger Oct/26, 1943 Gustafsson et a1. Nov. 30, 1943 Ammerman Oct. 16, 1951 Ammerman Jan. 19, 1954 Drechsel June 28, 1955

Images