US3033097A - Air distribution control outlet - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1962 1.. R. PHILLIPS AIR DISTRIBUTION CONTROL OUTLET 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 8, 1959 F1G.l.

INVENTOR "lllllllnv .HHHIIII" lEONARD R. PHLLL 1P5 FIG. 2.

May 8, 1962 L. R. PHILLIPS 3,033,097

AIR DISTRIBUTION CONTROL OUTLET Filed Sept. 8, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

May 8, 1962 1.. R. PHILLIPS AIR DISTRIBUTION CONTROL OUTLET 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 8, 1959 FIG. 5

May 8, 1962 L. R. PHILLIPS AIR DISTRIBUTION CONTROL OUTLET 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 8, 1959 INVENTOR LEONARD R PHLLLIPS 3,033,097 Patented May 8, 1962 3,033,097 AIR DISTRIBUTION CONTROL OUTLET Leonard R. Phillips, West Hartford, Conn, assignor to Anemostat Corporation of America, New York, N. a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 838,550 7 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) This invention relates generally to air distribution outlets and more particularly to an air outlet of the diffuser type having provision for controlling the pattern of the discharging air flow.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an air outlet particularly adapted for installation in ceilings of air-conditioned or heated enclosures.

Another more specific object of this invention is to provide an air outlet having novel adjustable means for selectively directing the flow of the primary supply air in one or more directions, and for controlling or regulating the volume of diffused air discharged by the outlet in any or all directions.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved supporting means for the adjustable deflector members enabling rapid and eflicient cleaning of the entire outlet assembly including the connecting supply neck, by unskilled labor, without the possibility of the adjustment of the deflectors being disturbed from the desired setting.

Still another object is to provide an air outlet according to the invention and having deflector members of improved design for controlling the pattern of discharging air throughout the entire 360 perimeter of the outlet.

A further object of this invention is to provide novel pivotal means for mounting the deflectors, permitting their adjustment, and retaining them in the desired angular setting.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the air control outlet, according to the invention, installed within an opening in an enclosure, the view being taken along the line 11 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the invention with the perforated diffuser plate partly broken away to more clearly illustrate the arrangement of the deflectors.

FiGURE 3 is a bottom perspective view, partly in section, showing the underside of the deflector supports as well as the pivotal attachment means therefor.

FIGURE 4 is a top perspective view looking down on the construction illustrated in FIGURE 3 and shows the deflectors arranged to deliver a particular air diffusion pattern.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are partial top perspective views with portions of the neck and casing broken away to illustrate various adjustments of the deflectors to provide different air diflusion patterns.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of the invention illustrating a modified arrangement of deflectors for a rectangular form of the invention.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings it will be noted that even though most of the views disclose a square shaped outlet, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this design. As shown in FIG- URE 7, the invention may be incorporated in a rectangular shaped outlet having a length and width of any suitable proportions. The selection of the shape of outlet ticular air distribution requirements for that specific 10-.

cation, as will be further described hereinafter.

As will be most clearly seen in FIGURE 1, the main body of the diffusing air outlet consists of a casing generally designated as 1, and formed in the shape of a fruscated rectangular pyramid having sloping side walls 2. The top portion of the casing 1 terminates in an upturned collar 3, which is suitably connected, as by spot welding, to a neck extension 4 leading to a branch duct 5 of the primary supply air system.

The lower portions of the inclined walls 2 are preformed to provide a horizontal recessed bearing surface 6 surrounded by a curved peripheral flange 7.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a suggested form of installation wherein the casing 1 is supported by and attached to the branch air supply duct 5 by means of a neck extension 4 of the necessary length to properly position the outlet within the opening 9 in the ceiling lit of the enclosure. The end portion 8 of the curved peripheral flange 7 abuts securely against the exposed under-surface of the ceiling ltl to provide an attractive and airtight seal of the outlet within the opening 9.

The invention is not limited to the specific form of mounting flange 7 illustrated in the several figures of the drawings. The peripheral portion 7 of thecasing 1 may be constructed in any other suitable shape in order to provide other forms of mounting of the outlets such as for flush mounting within an acoustical tile ceiling. A

Novel means are provided within the casing 1 to direct the incoming supply air into selected discharge patterns.

Disposed within the confines of the casing 1 are four deflector plates d d d and d of suitable flat rigid material such as sheet metal. These deflectors are suspended from a pair of crossed support straps designated generally as 11 and 12. The straps comprise horizontal sections 13 which meet at the center vertical axis of the outlet and extend substantially across the width of the neck opening 14 of the casing 1, and downwardly projecting foot portions 15 disposed parallel to the plane of the side walls 2. The supports 11 and 12 are attached to the casing by means of readily removable fasteners, such as slotted self-tapping screws 16 which pass through the toot portions 15 into the side walls 2, to rigidly secure the support strap assembly within the casing.

U-shaped hangers 17 depend from each of the radially extending sections 13 of the support straps 11 and 12. The upper ends 18 of the hangers 17 are connected to the support straps 1-1 and 12 by suitable means such as by welding. The lower hinge bars 19 of the hangers 17 are suspended in a rigid horizontal position by rods 20 of the hangers 17. The purpose of the bars 19 is to provide a fixed point about which the deflector plates may be pivoted, as will be described immediately hereinafter.

FIGURE 3 most clearly shows the means for adjustably supporting the deflectors. Each of the deflectors d d d and d has a top air directing surface 21 and a bottom surface 22. Each deflector is pivotally attached to the hinge bar 19 of one of the U-shaped hangers 17 by means of a bearing clip 23 which urges the bar 19 against the top surface 21 of the deflector plate. The clips 23 are of such design as to cause a relatively tight frictional engagement between the deflectors and hinge bars 19, so that a deliberate eifort is required to manually change the deflectors from one posit-ion to another. In other words, the bearing arrangement is such that the adjustment of the deflectors will not be changed by a sudden discharge of high pressure high Velocity air through the outlet.

In the square form of outlet, all the deflectors d d d and d are triangular in shape and as will be seen most 3 clearly in FIGURE 2, each deflector controls a 90 area, or one-fourth of the total discharge area of the outlet. It will therefore be apparent that each deflector is a right isosceles triangle having a right angle vertex 24 opposite its bottom edge 25.

The deflectors are large enough so that the bottom edges will engage the side walls 2 of the casing when the deflectors are in the closed position. FIGURE 6 illustrates deflectors d and d in the closed position, whereby the bottom edges 25 form a seal with the adjacent side walls 2.

A nominal amount of air space 26 will appear between the deflector plates (FIGURE 2) when the deflectors are in the fully open or fully closed positions. This permits the vertices of the plates to clear one another when two or more plates are adjusted in a horizontal position wherein the vertices most nearly pass through the center vertical axis of the outlet.

FIGURES l and 2 show the outlet with all four deflector plates d d d and d in the open position. In this position all of the incoming supply air passing through the neck extension enters the casing and impinges upon the top surfaces 21 of the four deflectors. The top surface 21 of each deflector, together with the oppositely disposed side wall 2, forms a downwardly inclined passageway 27 through which all of the air striking each deflector is directed.

It will therefore be apparent that when all of the deflectors are open, the total volume of supply air entering the casing will be equally divided between the four passageways 27 and therefore equal volumes of air will be concurrently discharged through all four sides of the outlet to provide a 360 distribution of air.

Diffusion of the discharging supply air is achieved through use of a perforated diffuser plate 28, most clearly shown in FIGURE 1. The diffuser 28 extends to cover the entire lower opening of the casing 1 and is provided with suitable quick release retaining means such as spring catches 29 located on opposite sides of the diffuser. The edges of the diffuser fit freely within the recess formed by the flange 7 and recessed surface 6 of the casing.

In order to retain the diffuser 28 in the normal operating position shown in FIGURE 1, the two opposite sides of the casing are provided with openings 3% in the bearing surface 6 to receive the prongs 31 of the spring catches 2?. As most clearly shown in FIGURE 5, each catch 29 consists of a pair of upstanding prongs 31 joined to a base member 32 disposed on the underside of the diffuser. An off-set portion adjacent the base member 32 provides an outwardly projecting shoulder 33 on the lower part of each prong 31 so that when the diffuser is placed over the opening of the outlet and the prongs are inserted into the openings 30, the diffuser is pushed upwardly until it abuts the recessed surface 6 at which time the shoulders 33 on the resilient spring prongs 31 will spring outwardly and away from each other to engage the sides of the openings to retain the diffuser in place.

Means must be provided in all air distribution outlets to allow periodic servicing of the unit. Such servicing includes, for all outlets, regular removal of the collection of dust that accumulates upon all surfaces which come in contact with the supply air. In most outlets this cleaning can be accomplished by merely wiping the surfaces within the unit with a cloth or suitable brushes. However, in the present invention, means must be provided for safely removing the diffuser and for protecting the adjustment of the deflector plates when it is desired to clean the inside of the casing.

Accordingly, each prong 31 of the spring catches 29 is provided with an outwardly projecting angle portion 34 at its upper end so that when removing the diffuser to clean the unit or to change the adjustment of the deflectors, it is necessary to merely pull down on the diffuser with only enough effort to overcome the resiliency of the prongs 31 to cause the shoulders 33 to become disengaged from the openings 30. When this is accomplished, the diffuser will automatically drop a short distance until the angle portions 34 of the catches 29 abut the upper portion of the bearing surface 6. Thus there is no possibility of the diffuser accidentally falling on the service man or dropping to the floor and being damaged.

To completely remove the difluser, the hand is inserted between the suspended diffuser and the casing and the two prongs 31 of each catch are compressed towards one another to allow the angle portions 34 to be pulled through the respective openings 30.

With the diffuser removed, the interior of the outlet will now appear somewhat like the view shown in FIG- URE 2. It will be seen that regardless of the adjusted position of the deflectors, the self-tapping fasteners 16 retaining the support straps 11 and 12 will be readily accessible. Removal of these fasteners will enable one to quickly remove the entire deflector assembly from the unit. In this way it will be a relatively easy and quick matter to clean the casing and neck extension of the outlet as well as to separately clean the deflector assembly without altering the adjustment of the deflector blades.

Five basic diffusion patterns may be obtained from the square form of outlet shown in FIGURES 1-6. As previousl, described, FIGURE 1 discloses a four-way discharge pattern wherein the supply air is equally diffused throughout a 360 area of the outlet. To obtain this pattern, all four deflectors are pivoted with their vertices 24 at the uppermost limit, thereby placing the lower edges 25 adjacent the bottom opening of the casing.

A three-way discharge pattern may be obtained by closing one deflector and leaving the other three open such as shown in FIGURE 5, wherein deflector d is closed and deflectors d 1 and d are open. The bottom edge 25 of each deflector is provided with a notch 25a adapted to surround the foot portion 15 of the supports 11 and 12 when the deflector is fully closed. In this manner the bottom edge 25 will engage the adjacent side wall 2 of the casing and form a seal to prevent the passage of supply air over the closed deflector. Thus it will be seen that the air impinging upon the top surface 21 of deflectors (P, d and d will be directed through passageways 27 to the diffuser plate 28, whereupon it will be diffused through three sides of the outlet into the enclosure. The air impinging upon the surface 21 of the closed deflector d will, for the most part, be directed back up into the upper part of the casing due to the closing off of the respective passageway 27.

Attached to the equilateral sides of each deflector are a pair of upturned flanges 35 which join at the vertex 24 to form a pocket. It will be seen that when a deflector is in the closed position, the air that does reach the vertex area of the closed deflector will be entrapped within this pocket and act as a cushion to support the air in this area so that no air will be discharged straight downwardly through the diffuser 28.

The diffusion pattern just described wherein three deflectors are open and one is closed provides a 270 discharge of diffused air from the outlet. This form of ad justment may be particularly desirable when an outlet is located near one wall of an enclosure. In such an installation the deflector immediately opposite the near wall would be closed to permit the outlet to diffuse all of the supply air through the remaining three open deflectors to achieve the most eflicient air distribution to the enclosure.

In an installation where the outlet is located near the corner of a ceiling the deflectors may be adjusted as shown in FIGURE 4 to achieve the most efficient air distribution. The deflectors d d adjacent the nearest walls are closed so that the full discharge of the supply air will be through the open deflectors d d In an installation wherein the outlet is located in a long, narrow enclosure the deflectors may be arranged as in FIGURE 6 where deflectors d d are opened and d d are closed. In such a situation the opposed open deflectors would discharge the supply air into the longer dimension of the enclosure while the closed deflectors would prevent the wasteful and undesirable discharge of air against the two walls nearest the outlet.

Considering the preceding example of a long narrow enclosure, it will be observed that if the outlet were located near one end of the ceiling, then distribution of the supply air to the far end of the enclosure would be readily achieved by closing all the deflectors except the one discharging towards the far end of the enclosure.

A four-way diffusion pattern wherein all four of the deflectors are open would be employed whenever the outlet is located within a large enclosure or centrally located with respect to other outlets or the walls of an enclosure.

The shape of an enclosure and the respective location of an outlet do not always dictate which will be the most desirable diffusion pattern. The adjustment of the deflectors will often be determined by the intended use of the enclosure. If the enclosure is to be occuplied by personnel in one particular area it may be desirable to supply a greater amount of air towards that area. Also, if sensitive equipment, for example, is being stored in one area of an enclosure, it is a simple matter to readjust the deflectors to discharge more or less air into that particular area, according to the storage requirements of the equipment.

The present invention may be adapted in a rectangular shaped outlet as shown in FIGURE 7 when, for example, it is desired to distribute larger volumes of air from a single outlet.

The construction of the casing, neck extension, and

perforated difluser plate is similar to the square form of outlet except that these components are extended along one dimension to form a rectangular unit having as long a neck opening and diffuser plate as is required.

The casing comprises a pair of oppositely disposed short side walls 36, 36 and a pairof long side walls 37, 37. A pair of deflectors R R cooperate with the short walls 36 respectively, to control the distribution of supply air from the short sides of the outlet. These deflectors are similar to deflectors d d d d in that each is shaped like an isosceles triangle and has a base 25 adapted to seal off the upper portion of the adjacent short side wall 36. A pair of deflectors R R shaped like isosceles trapezoids are disposed in cooperating relationship with the long side walls 37, 37 to regulate the discharge of the supply air from the long sides of the outlet.

The deflectors R R are suspended within the confines of the casing 1a and adapted for pivotal adjustment by means of a support and hanger arrangement similar to that employed in the previously described square form of outlet.

A longitudinal support strap 38 extends across the longer dimension of the neck opening of the casing and is provided with a pair of downwardly projecting foot portions 15 which are secured to the short side walls 36, 36 respectively. The reflectors R R are attached to the support strap 38 by means of U-shaped hangers 17 and bearing clips 23 described beforehand. Similar sus pension means are provided for the trapezoidal deflectors R R Due to the relatively longer length of these deflectors, it is desirable to use at least two cross support straps 39 and thereby suspend each deflector R with two U-shaped hangers 17.

'It will be understood that the function and adjustment of the rectangular outlet is similar to that of the square unit, as described previously.

The outlet illustrated in FIGURE 7 shows both of the deflectors R R in the closed position, that is, with the bottom edges 25 sealed against the upper portion of the respective side walls 36, 36 adjacent the neck opening.

This adjustment blocks the passage of any of the supply air from the short sides of the outlet, while the upturned flanges 35 prevent the passage of air over the vertex areas 24 of the deflectors.

The deflectors R R are shown in the open position whereby the top edges 4t) are adjacent the support member 33 and the bottom edges 41 are spaced apart from the walls 37 to form passageways for directiong the supply air out of the long sides of the outlet.

In order to prevent the passage of air over the equilateral side edges 42 of the long deflectors R R when they are in the closed position, right angle flanges i-3 are provided on the upper surface of deflectors R R These flanges 43 extend from the top edge 40 for a substantial distance along the side edges 42 to serve the same function as the flanges 35 on the triangular deflectors. Flange members are not required along the top edges 40, for when the long deflectors R R are in the closed position the air striking the upper surface of these deflectors is directed to the opposite side of the unit due to the relatively greater length of the long deflectors.

Any suitable type of damper means may be used in connection with the present invention to regulate the total overall volume of air to be supplied to the outlet. FIG- URE 1 indicates, as an example, a damper 44 disposed within the lower portion of the neck extension 4.

As in the square form of the invention, the deflectors R R may be adjusted to deliver a. plurality of diffusion patterns according to the air distribution requirements of the particular enclosure involved. FIGURE 7 illustrates only one of the possible adjustments wherein deflectors R R are in the closed position with the bottom edges 25 in sealing engagement with the upper portion of the short side walls 36 to block the discharge of air from the short sides of the outlet, while deflectors R R are fully opened with the bottom edges 41 spaced apart from the long side walls 37 to permit diffusion of the entire supply air from the longer sides of the outlet.

I claim:

1. A directional control for an air distribution outlet, comprising, a casing having a plurality of slanting side walls arranged to provide a substantially rectangular opening, a plurality of separate deflectors, movable independently of each other, at least a pair of which are of substantially flat triangular formation with their apical portions inclined toward the axis of the opening, a separate pivot on each deflector located substantially in the medial portion of the top surface thereof, means carried by the casing for supporting said pivot means to permit adjustment of said deflectors from a closed to an open position whereby said deflectors are disposed substantially parallel to their respective side walls and have their apical portions disposed at a common point, and air diverting means on the top surface of said deflectors at the apical portions thereof to prevent the passage of air under the apical portions when the deflectors are tilted downwardly in a closed position, whereby each of the separate deflectors maybe adjusted to either an open or closed position independently of the position of each of the other of said deflectors to selectively provide numerous air distribution patterns through said outlet.

2. A directional control for an air distribution outlet according to claim 1, wherein said side walls comprise downwardly and outwardly inclined surfaces, each of said deflectors mounted within the confines of said casing and in opposed relationship to one of said walls.

3. A directional control for an air distribution outlet according to claim 1, wherein said air diverting means on said deflectors comprises upturned flanges adjacent the apical portion of said deflectors.

4. A directional control for an air distribution outlet, comprising, a casing having a plurality of slanting side walls arranged to provide a substantially square opening, and opposite pairs of separate and flat triangular deflectors covering the areas of the opening and having their apical portions disposed inclined toward the axis of the opening, separate pivot means located on the medial portion of each deflector to permit independent movement of each of said deflectors, means carried by the casing for sup porting said pivot means to permit adjustment of said deflectors from a closed to an open position whereby said deflectors are disposed substantially parallel to their respective side walls and have their apical portions disposed at a common point, and air diverting means on the top surface of said deflectors at the apical portions thereof to prevent the passage of air under the apical portions when the deflectors are tilted downwardly in a closed position, whereby each of the separate deflectors may be adjusted to either an open or closed position independently of the position of each of the other of said deflectors to selectively provide numerous air distribution patterns through said outlet.

5. A directional control for an air distribution outlet according to claim 5, wherein said supporting means are straps extending across the upper portion of said square opening, said straps provided with means for attachment to said casing such that the straps, pivot means, and deflectors may be removed from said casing as a single integral unit.

6 A directional control for an air distribution outlet, comprising, a casing having a plurality of slanting side walls arranged to provide an elongated rectangular opening, a pair of separate and flat triangular deflectors located at opposite ends of said opening, a pair of opposed trapezoidal deflectors located between said triangular deflectors, separate pivot means attached to the medial portions of each of said deflectors to permit independent movement of each of said deflector-s, means carried by the casing for supporting said pivot means to permit adjustment of said deflectors from a closed to an open position whereby said deflectors are disposed substantially parallel to their respective side walls and have their apical portions disposed at a common point, and air diverting means on the top surface of said deflectors at the apical portions thereof to prevent the passage of air under the apical portions when the deflectors are tilted downwardly in a closed position, whereby each of the separate deflectors may be adjusted 8 to either an open or closed position independently of the position of each of the other of said deflectors to selectively provide numerous ai-r distribution patterns through said outlet.

7. In an air distribution control apparatus, a rectangular casing of the shape of a truncated pyramid having slanting side walls and upper and lower openings, der ectors disposed between said opening and comprising, top air directing surfaces and bottom sealing edges, and air diverting means on the top surface of said deflectors at the apical portions thereof to prevent the pasage of air under the apical portions when the deflectors are tilted downwardly in a closed position, whereby each of the separate deflectors may be adjusted to either an open or closed position independently of the position of each of the other of said deflectors to selectively provide numerous air distribution patterns through said outlet, support means within said upper opening, hangers connected at one end to said support means and pivotally connected at the other end to said deflectors, all of said deflectors cooperating to form an air directing unit encompassing a lateral area at least as great as the area of said upper opening to provide directional control of all air projecting downwardly through said upper opening, each of said deflectors when in an open position having its top air directiong surface substantially parallel to and in spaced apart relationship with its respective side Wall to form a downwardly sloping air passageway and when in a closed position having its bottom edge in sealing engagement with the respective side wall, and diffuser means mounted within the lower opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,101,642 Lenling June 30, 1914 2,607,282 Gilbert Aug. 19, 1952 2,821,898 Kennedy Feb. 4, 1958 2,822,741 Kennedy Feb. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 726,483 Germany Oct. 14, 1942

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