US3056343A

US3056343A - Light restricting ventilator

Info

Publication number: US3056343A
Application number: US76940A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth W Westerberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-12-19
Filing date: 1960-12-19
Publication date: 1962-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-02

Description

Oct- 2, 1962 K. w. wEsTERBERG LIGHT RESTRICTING VENTILATOR Filed Dec. 19, 1960 kr I S VWWAW INV EN TOR. WEs rERBERc MM A T TORN E YS ls 311- 32 al KE NNErH W FIG. 3

United States Patent O 3,056,343 LIGHT RESTRICTING VENTILATOR Kenneth W. Westerberg, Savage, Mian. Filed Dec. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 76,940 2 Claims. (Cl. 98-121) My invention relates generally to ventilating apparatus, and more particularly to ventilating duct construction which permits free flow of air therethrough, but Which is adapted to control or restrict passage of light therethrough.

In the raising of small livestock, such as turkeys, or the like, a great deal of care must be exercised, particularly when the birds are very young in providing proper temperature, ventilation and light conditions for the birds, inasmuch as the birds are extremely sensitive during the first five or six weeks of their existence. An important object of my invention is therefore, the provision of ventilating apparatus in enclosures for such birds, Which will permit passage of the proper amount of ventilation, While enabling passage of light therethrough to the interior of the enclosure to be controlled or restricted even to a point wherein light is entirely excluded from passage therethrough. To this end, I provide an air conveying duct comprising a duct section adapted for mounting to a Wall of the enclosure over a ventilating opening therein, and a louver-equipped duct section, and novel means for said duct section and louverequipped section for removably connecting said sections together in end to end relationship.

Another object of my invention is the provision of apparatus as above described, having novel means for mounting a plurality of louver-equipped sections together whereby to restrict passage of light therethrough to the point of no light passage, while permitting free passage of air through the duct.

Another object of my invention is the provision of novel joint construction between adjacent sections which preclude passage of light to the interior of the enclosure at the joints between sections, and which permit quick and easy displacement of one section from another for Cleaning or the like, and as quick and easy replacement of the displaced section.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of novel louver construction and arrangement wherein light entering the duct is deflected in a most advantageous manner to restrict passage of the light through the louverequipped duct section.

Another object of my invention is the provision of apparatus as set forth, which is simple and inexpensive to produce and install, which is highly eflicient in operation, and which is rugged in construction and durable 1n use.

The above, and still further highly important objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the apparatus of my invention shown as mounted on a vertical wall having a ventilating opening therein, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a still further enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

=ln the preferred embodiment of the invention illus- ICC trated, the numeral 1 indicates, in its entirety, a cross sectionally rectangular air duct section having generally horizontally disposed top and

bottom walls

2 and 3 respectively, and opposed generally vertical side walls 4. A laterally outwardly projecting marginal flange 5, formed at one end of the air duct section 1 provides means for mounting the duct section 1 to a wall or the like 6 about a ventilating opening 7 in the wall 6. The opening 7 being shown as defined by a conventional frame or the like 8. The frame 8 provides means for mounting a conventional ventilator fan or blower, not shown, if such is desired. Suitable anchoring means, such as screws or the like 9, extend through the marginal fiange S to mount the duct section 1 to the wall 6.

At its opposite end, the duct section 1 is formed to provide a continuous marginal flange 10 that projects laterally outwardly from the upper and

lower walls

2 and 3 and side walls 4 whereby to provide 'upper and lower horizontally extending portions 11 and 12 respectively and vertically extending side portions 13, the portions 11 and 12 projecting upwardly and downwardly respectively from the top and

bottom walls

2 and 3 respectively of the duct 1.

A pair of identical

air duct sections

14 and 15 are mounted on the inner end of the air duct section 1, each thereof corresponding in cross-sectional shape and size to the duct section 1, each thereof having vertically spaced top and

bottom walls

16 and 17 respectively and laterally spaced generally vertical side Walls 18. At their opposite ends, the

duct sections

14 and 15 are each formed to provide continuous

marginal flanges

19 and 20. The marginal flange 19 of the

duct sections

14 and 15, as shown the duct section 14, being disposed in face-to-face abutting relation to the marginal tlange 10 of the duct section 1. In like manner, the marginal flange 19 of the duct section 15 is adapted to be disposed in face-toface abutting relation to the marginal fllange 20 of the duct section 14, Whereby the

duct sections

14 and 15 are disposed in end-to-end abutting relationship. The

fianges

19 and 20, like the marginal flange 10, are continuous, the ilanges 19 having upper and

lower portions

21 and 22 respectively that project upwardly and downwardly from the top and

bottom walls

16 and 17 respectively. Vertically extending side portions of the marginal fianges 19 extend laterally outwardly from the opposite side walls 15, and are identified by the reference numeral 23. ln like manner, the flanges 20 have horizontally extending upper and lower portions 24 and 25 respectively and vertically extending portions 26.

For the purpose of releasably locking the

duct sections

14 and 15 together and to the duct section 1, the upper flange portions 21 have upper edge portions which are back-turned upon themselves to provide downwardly openings hooks 27 that are adapted to receive selectively the upper flange portion 11 of the duct section 1 or the upper flange portion 24 of the

other duct section

14 or 15. The

duct sections

14 and 15 being identical, either one thereof may be mounted on the adjacent end of the duct section 1, the

other duct section

14 or 15 being mounted on the opposite or free end of the section carried by the duct section 1. The down-turned hook portions 27 extend across the entire width of the tops of the

duct sections

1, 14 and 15, and etfectively prevent leakage of light in the upper portions of the joints between the

abutting flanges

10 and 19 and the

abutting flanges

20 and 19. A pair of vertically extending cross-sectionally U-shaped looking elements 2-8 are slidably mounted on and snugly embrace the abutting vertically extending

flange portions

13 and 23, and a similar horizontally extending cross sectionally U-shaped locking element 29 snugly embraces the lower horizontally extending

flange portions

12 and 22, to lock the side and bottom portions of the duct section '14 to the adjacent end of the duct section 1, and to prevent leakage of light outwardly from the interior of the duct at the joint between the sections 1 and 14. A second pair of locking elements 23 similarly snugly encompass the

side flange portions

23 and 26, and a second horizontally disposed locking element 29 embraces the abutting

bottom flange portions

22 and 25, see FIGS. 1 and 2.

Each of the

duct sections

14 and 15 is provided with a plurality if inverted V-shaped louvers 30, each louver 30 comprising downwardly diverging walls or

partitions

31 and 32, and anchoring flanges 33 at the opposite ends thereof, the flanges 33 being spot welded or otherwise rigidly secured to adjacent side walls 18 of the

duct sections

14 and 15. As shown in FIG. 2, the louvers 30 in each

duct section

14 and 15 are disposed in semi-nesting relationship. In other words, the apex portion 34 of each louver 30 except the uppermost one thereof is disposed above the level of the bottom edges of the

walls

31 and 32 of an overlying louver, the

walls

31 and 32 being inwardly and downwardly spaced from corresponding walls of an overlying louver 30. The semi-nesting and spaced relationship between adjacent louvers 30 is such that a current of air flows freely through the louverequipped ducts Y14 and 15, but that light entering the ventilator opening 7 progressively diminishes as it is reflected from one louver wall to another. With reference to FIG. 2 it will be noted that the bottom edges of the =walls 311 and 32 of the lowermost louver 30 engage the bottom walls 17, and that the apex portion 34 of each uppermost louver 30 .engages the top wall 16 of its respective duct section r14- and 15, whereby to exclude passage of light therebetween. Preferably, and in the exemplification of my invention illustrated, the angular displacement between the

louver walls

31 and 32 of each louver 30 -is approximately 45 circular degrees, and the apex portion 34 of each louver 30 is disposed upwardly from the level of the bottom edges of the

walls

31 and 32 of an overlying louver 30 approximately one-third the vertical distance between the level of said bottom edges and the apex portion of the overlying louver 30. The abovedescribed angular displacement between the

louver walls

31 and 32, and the semi-nesting relationship between the louvers 30 of each louver-equipped

section

14 and 15 has proved to be very effective in controlling or restricting the amount of light which passes through the louvered sections 14 and IIS. Preferably, the duct sections I1, 14 and 15 are made from sheet metal, such as galvanized iron or the like, the inner surfaces of the duct sections, as well as the louvers 30 being coated with dark flat paint, if desired, to further reduce light reflection within the duct sections.

To illustrated the effectiveness of the louver-equipped

sections

14 and 15 in restricting passage of light when the interiors of the duct sections and louvers are galvanized finished, a single louver-equipped section '14 or 15 has been found to restrict 50 to 60 percent of light waves from a 250 watt lamp placed in the duct section 1, whereas the use of both

sections

14 and 15 as shown has been found to restrict 97 to 99 percent of the light. Addition of a third louver-equipped section accomplishes total restriction, and no light enters a room through the three louver-equipped sections in tandem relationship. Further, by painting the interiors of the louver-equipped

sections

14 and 15 with a flat black paint, total light restriction is obtained by using only two louver-.equipped sections.

When it is desired to clean the interiors of the duct section -1 and louver-equipped

sections

14 and 15, it is only necessary to remove the

locking elements

28 and 29 and to unhook the louver-equipped sections from each other and from the duct section 1. After cleaning or servicing, each louver-equipped

section

14 and 15 is replaced with the down-turned hook 27 thereof receiving the Lip-turned flange portion 11 or 24, and the

U-shaped locking elements

28 and 29 replaced.

lIt will be appreciated that, while I have shown and described the duct sections as having generally horizontal top and bottom walls and mounted on a vertical building wall, the duct sections can be as readily mounted to an angular or horizontal wall such as a ceiling or roof. Hence, the duct sections are defined as having horizontal top and bottom walls and vertically extended side Walls, only for the purpose of clearly setting forth the relationship between the several wall portions of the duct sections.

While I have shown and described a commercial embodiment of my novel light restricting ventilator it will be appreciated that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. Ventilating apparatus comprising a plurality of cross-sectionally rectangular duct sections, means for releasably locking said duct sections together in end-to-end tandem relationship, a plurality of inverted cross sectionally V-shaped louvers disposed in a row in one of said duct sections, means rigidly anchoring said louvers at their opposite ends to adjacent walls of said one of the duct sections in semi-nesting relationship, each of said louvers comprising integrally formed louver wall elements diverging downwardly from the apex thereof and defining an included angle of between 30 and 60 circular degrees, each louver except the first one in said row thereof having its apex portion projecting inwardly between the louver wall elements of an adjacent louver a distance between one-fourth and one-half of the distance between the apex of said adjacent louver and the free edges of the louver wall elements thereof, the apex portion of said first louver being disposed in abutting relation with the adjacent inner wall surface of said one of the duct sections, the free edges of the last louver in said row thereof abutting the opposite inner wall surface of said one of the duct sections, the overlapping and angular relationship between said louvers restricting passage o-f light through said duct sections and the spaced relationship between said louvers permitting free passage of air through said duct sections.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which each of said duct sections includes outwardly projecting pen'pheral flanges at its opposite ends, the flanges of one duct section abutting the flanges of adjacent sections, a top portion of one of said flanges of each duct section being downturned to provide a downwardly opening hook extending over the top portion of the abutting flange whereby one duct section is supported by the adjacent section.

References Cted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 138,326 Ram-busch July 18, 1944 1,31%,042 Banning Oct. 7, 1919 2,36i4,271 Carver Dec. 5, 1944 2,400,6l7 Wheeler May 2.1, 1946 2,404,961 Hoch July 30, 1946 2,663,246 Smith Dec. 22, 1953