Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1045442
The present invention relates the components of an air
grille of a type which may be constructed in a variety of different
dimensions without excessive tooling costs, and to a grille using
these components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIO~I
Typical air grilles incorporate a rectangular metal
framework, and a plurality of transverse blades. Usually the
blades are rotatable, and are secured by friction, when adjusted,
in any particular position. Sometimes two sets of blades are
required one behind the other, arranged at right angles to each
other.
Manufacturers generally speaking establish a range of
sizes or dimensions for such grilles, and are therefore forced to
use a variety of components for the frames, and a variety of
blades, of differing lengths, to provide different sizes of grilles.
Tooling costs and parts inventory can therefore be quite a con-
siderable burden.
However, commercial and industrial requirements for air
grilles depend upon architects or engineers specifications, and
it is generally speaking not acceptable simply to provide such
air grilles in a range of standard sizes. Ideally, the manufacturer
should be able to provide air grilles in accordance with any
dimensional specifications which the architect requires to suit
the particular design of the building under construction. However,
such flexibility in dimensions, in accordance with known manu-
facturing practise, requires either an excessive amount of tooling
to produce various sizes of air grilles, or alternatively, involves
excessive hand labour and certain manual skills which increase the
c08t of the air grille significantly.
It i~ therefore desirable to provide an air grille
~, . . .
104544Z
construction in which the measurements may be entirely flexible
and may be varied within wide limits without the use of separate
tooling for different sizes, and with a minimum of hand labour
such that the cutting, bending and fitting of the various parts
as required takes place automatically in accordance with dimen-
sional specifications which have been preprogrammed.
The invention further comprises an air grille assembly
comprising, frame means of four-sided rectangular shape, air
director blades arranged in a parallel formation extending between
two opposite sides of said rectangular frame means, said blades
being of predetermined width and length and having a longitudinal
axis of rotation, deformable extension members formed integrally
with respective said blades and extending from each end thereof
along said axis of rotation and of reduced width in relation
thereto, blade supporting bar means at each end of each said blade,
extending between the ends of said blades and having openings
therein receiving said extension members and with a portion of
each said extension member extending through said opening
and being deformed thereby retaining and supporting same, and, means
supporting ~aid blade supporting bar means in said frame means.
., ,
The invention further compr~ses an air grille having
the foregoing features and including channel means formed in said
frame on at least said two opposite sides, said channel means
being shaped and adapted to receive said blade supporting bar
means.
The invention further comprises an air grille having
the foregoing features and including depressions formed in said
blade supporting bar means around said openings.
The invention further comprisesan air grille having
the foregoing features and wherein said blades are formed of double
: - 2 -
," P
104544Z
walled hollow construction.
The invention further comprises an air grille
having the foregoing features and including extensions formed
integrally on the ends of both said walls of said blades for inter-
connection with said blade supporting bar means.
The invention further comprises an air grille
having the foregoing features and wherein said extensions formed on
the ends of said blades are inserted into said openings, said
extensions being bent outwardly around said openings into said
depressions to retain said blades on said blade supporting bar
means.
The invention further comprises an air grille
having the foregoing features and including shoulders formed on
said blades adjacent said extensions.
The invention further comprises an air grille
having the foregoing features and wherein said bar means is
of shallow channel-shape in cross-section, with channel side
walls extending away from said blades.
The invention further comprises an air grille
having the foregoing features and including further channel
means formed in said frame parallel to and spaced from said
first mentioned channel means, and further air director blades,
and blade supporting bar means therefore, being received in
said further channel means to provide a double layer of blades
for said grille.
104544Z
The foregoing and other objectives of the invention
will become apparent from the following description of a
preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way
of example only with reference to the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a front perspective illustration of an air
grille according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a section corresponding to Figure 2
showing an alternate embodiment;
Figure 4 is a perspective illustration corresponding to
Figure 3 showing an alternate embodiment;
Figure 5 shows an alternate form of frame stock for use
in the invention; ~ 7.
Figure 6 shows an alternate form of blade supporting bar;
Figure 7 is a perspective illustration of a blade,
showing the formation of the end member of the blade prior to
assembly;
Figure 8 is a plan view of the blade of Figure 7, along
the line 8-8;
~igure 9 is a,sectional view of the bIade along the line
9-9 of Figure 7;
- Figures 10, ll;and 12 show alternate forms of blade;
Figure 13 shows a further alternate form of blade, and
blade mounting means; ~ i
Figure 14 shows a further alternate form of blade mounting
means; J
Figure 15 shows a form of fixed blade for sightproof
grilles; ,,
Figure 16 is a perspective illustration of the air grille
,
4 --
104544Z
of Figure 1, with the frame cut away to reveal the construction
thereof;
Figure 17 is a perspective illustration of a blade
shown at a stage in the manufacture and assembly of the air grille;
Figure 18 is a sectional illustration along the line
18-18 of Figure 17;
Figures 19 and 20 show further alternate forms of frame
stock and alternate forms of blade support bars;
Figure 21 is a perspective illustration showing an
alternate form of support bar and means for fastening the blades;
Figure 22 shows a further alternate form of support bar
for mounting the blades, and,
Figure 23 shows a corner detail.
DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 8, it will be seen
that the air grille using components according to the invention
comprises a rectangular framework indicated generally as 10, and
an air director blade assembly indicated generally as 12. The
frame 10 is formed typically of roll formed, die formed, or
extruded material of uniform cross-section along its length,joined
at the corners, such cross-section providing a facing flange 14,
and a side wall 16. The side wall 16 is formed with a recessed
channel 17 extending longitudinally along its inwardly directed
face, the channel having side walls 18 and an intermediate web 20.
The free edge of the facing flange 14 is turned in as
at 22 to provide a smooth finish. Such an inturned portion 22
provides a convenient means of joining the corners, by means of
L-shaped angle plates 24 (shown in phantom), and joining means may
be used such a~ a weld, a rivet, or staking. The plates 24 in
accordance with thi~ invention, however have novel locking means
(~ee Fig. 23),which avoids the use of such a fa~tening requirement.
- 5 -
104544Z
The blade assembly 12, as best shown in Figures 16 and
17, comprises a plurality of air director blade members 26, rotat-
ably mounted at each end in mounting bars 28. The mounting bars
28 are elongated flat sheet metal members with holes 30 stamped
therethrough at regularly spaced intervals. Around the holes 30
are formed depressions 32 for purposes to be described.
According to one form of the invention, the blade
members 26 are of double walled hollow sheet metal construction,
provided with a generally elliptical airfoil shape along their
length. Preferably, such blade members will be formed by roll
- forming the sheet metal~and seaming along one edge as at 34.
Alternatively, the blade members of this type could be made of
two separate pieces of sheet metal formed with seams 34 along each
edge, if desired.
At each end of the blade members 26, bearing shoulders
36 are formed, and extending from such bearing shoulders 36 are
the riveting extensions~38. It will of course be appreciated that
since the blade member 26 is of double wall construction, there
are two such shoulder members 36, one extending from each wall, and
there are two such riveting extensions 38, one extending from each
wall, such shoulders and riveting extensions being spaced apart by
a spacing equal to the spacing between the two walls of the blade
member 26 as shown.
As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the riveting extensions 38
of the blade members 26 extend through the holes 30 in the support
bars 28, and are then riveted or stamped over as at 38a so as to
retain the blade members 26 in position. Preferably, such stamping
or riveting action is sufficient to provide a relatively tight fit
against the support bars 28, and provide for a certain degree of
39
- 6 -
1045442
frictional resistance to rotation of the blades 26, so that once
they are preset into a desired air direction pattern, they will
retain that position until they are reset into a new pattern. AS
is shown in Figure 18, the stamped or riveted extensions 38a lie
within the depressions 32 around the holes 30~
The support bars 28, carrying the blades 26 are received
in the channels comprising the side walls 18 and web 20 in the
wall 16 of the frame 10, and constitute the blade assembly 12 as
shown in Figure 1 in the finished grille.
~ Various modifications can be made to the invention. For
example, as shown in Figure 4, it may be desirable to provide a
grille having two sets of blade assemblies 12. Accordingly, a
modified form of framework will be provided having a facing flange
40, and side wall 42, and two channels indicated generally as 44
and 46 respectively. Clearly, two blade assemblies 12 can then be
inserted into such channels 44 and 46 respectively. Preferably
one such blade assembly 12 will be rotated 90 with respect to the
other so as to render the grille substantially sight proof.
, Other forms of blade member may be employed in certain
20 circumstances. For example, as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12
blades may be employed which are pivoted along one side edge
instead of pivoting alo~g a centre line as in the case of the
bladé 26. If, for example, a blade 48 as shown in Figure 10 may
comprise a double thickness director portion 50, formed of sheet
metal folded over on itself, and having along one edge a generally
cylindrica~ formation 52!, At each end of the blade 48 the cylin-
drical portion 52 may extend o,utwardly as at 54 to provide a
riveting extension, adapted to extend through the holes 30 in the
bars 28.
A somewhat lighter form of blade could be made in much
- 7 -
,, ,,,,,,, . .. ,, , . , _ . . . .. . ....
1~4544Z
the same way as shown by the blade 56 of Figure 11. In this case,
the air director portion 58 comprises a single thickness of metal
with only its free edge turned over to avoid roughness. A
similar cylindrical formation 60 is formed along the other edge,
having an extension 62 for riveting in the manner described above.
As shown in Figure 12, a further form of blade 64 may
be provided similar to the blade 56 of Figure 11, but having a
curved director portion 66 turned over at its free edge, and
having a cylindrical formation 68 on the other edge thereof and an
extension 70 for riveting and the like.
Other forms of pivotal mounting for the blades may be
provided, other than the riveting extensions as described above.
For example, as shown in Figure 13 a blade 72 may be provided, of
similar construction for example to the blade 26 of Figure 5. In
this case however, a longitudinal curved groove formation 74 may
be formed down either side therof, and the riveting extensions are
eliminated. In their place a pivot pin 76 may be provided having
frictional formations 78 along its length. The pin 76 would then
be inserted through the;openings 30 in the support bars 28 and
driven into the blades 72, along the line of the channel formations
74.
i ~referably, the heads 80 of the pins 76 will provide
frictional engagement wi~hin the depressions 32 around the holes 30.
~ further alte~native form of blade retention is shown
in Figure 14. In this case, a flexible plastic strip 82 is
provided with a series of retaining pins 83 extending therefrom
having frictional formations 84 thereon. The pins 83 are arranged
spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between the holes 30
in the support bars 28. Such plastic strips 82 may be for example
injection molded with 12 or more such pins 83 on each such strip.
- 8 -
~, . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .
104544Z
These would be used in conjunction with a blade similar to blade
72. In this case, however, the rotation of the blades would be
achieved by rotating them relative to the pins 83, the pins ~3
providing frictional retention of the blades in any desired
position.
Alternatively, a continuous metal support bar 85 can be
provided with plastic pins 86 fastened thereto at spaced intervals,
and having frictional formations 87 thereon, performing the same
function as the strip 82 and pins 83 of Figure 14.
By use of the invention, it will, therefore, be seen
that it is possible to prepare uniform cross-section frame material,
and uniform cross-section blades and uniform cross-section blade
support bars, in any desired lengths. Such lengths may then be cut
off in a simple punch press or shear to any desired length, and
assembled readily with a minimum of hand operations, Thus, one
relatively inexpensive ~et of tooling will permit a manufacturer to
produce registers of any dimensions at all. Similarly, it is not
necessary for the manufacturer to warehouse substantial inventories
of different sizes of parts. All that is required is to maintain
on hand a sufficient quantity of lengths of the stock from which
the parts will be made, to handle any order that may come in at any
time. ,
Furthermore, i~f the various lengths of stock are made by
roll forming then it is possible that no inventory of lengths of
stock need be maintained at all. Rolls of sheet metal is all that
will be required to be maintained in inventory, and the parts will
be formed in the lengthsldesired as orders are received.
Further modifications may be made to the frame. For
example, the side walls 18a of the channel can be arranged in an
angled manner instead of providing a simple channel (Figure 5). In
_ g _
104544Z
this way, the blade support bars 28 could be made so as to slide
within such a channel and be retained therein by the inward
convergence of the side walls 18a. Furthermore, it will, of
course, be appreciated that while the frame 10 as shown in Figure 1
is made of uniform stock on all four sides, if desired, two
different types of frame stock can be made up, one with the
channel, and one with a straight side wall 16. In this way, if
desired, a frame could be made up in which only two opposite sides
were formed with channe}s and the other two opposite sides were
formed without. However, in most cases this would not be neces-
sary, and it would, of course, involve the use of additional
tooling and the production of further parts.
Other forms of air grille can be made in the same way,
without providing for pivoting blades. For example, a sight
proof blade 88 may be used consisting of two air director portions
90, meeting at an angle (see Figure 15) md having riveting exten-
sions 92. Such blades can be installed in mounting bars 28 in any
one of the various ways described above, the fastening being
somewhat more secure so that no rotation can take place at all.
Various modifications can be made to the support bars 28.
For example, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, a modified
form of support bar 94 may be provided, having a series of pairs
of struck-out tongues 96i. Such tongues 96 would be inserted into
cylindrical formations on the blade, such as those shown in Figures
10, 11 and 12, and would replace the riveting extensions. Alterna-
tively, as shown in Figure 22, a support bar 98 could be provided
with struck-out tongues 100 formed by striking out diagonal pieces
of metal, instead of length wise portions 96 as shown in Figure 21.
In this way, the tongues l00 can be arranged somewhat closer
together along the bar 98.
-- 10 --
.
~4~44Z
Furt~ur modifications may be made both with respect to
the side frame and the support bars as shown in Figures 19 and 20.
For example, shown in Figure 19 the side frame may be made with a
facing portion 102 similar to the facing portion 14 of Figure 1.
However, the side wall 104 may be made without any channel or
recess at all, and simply being a flat linear member. In this
case, the support bars 106 might be formed with a continuous
lengthwise groove 108, for receiving the turned over portions 38a
of the riveting extensions of the blades 26. The support bars 106
would be fastened in position by any suitable fastening means such
as rivets 110, or screws or spot welding or the like.
As shown in Figure 20, a modified~form of frame may be
constructed having a facing member 112, and a side wall 114 defining
a continuous lengthwise recess or groove, and having upper and
lower shoulders 116 extending lengthwise parallel with the groove
114.
A modified fo~m of support bar 118 may be provided having
upper and lower angled portions 120 fitting around the shoulders
116. Again, the supportlbars 118 would be fastened in position by
any suitable fastening means such as rivets 122, or screws, spot
welding or the like.
~ Such a modified support bar 118, of rectangular channel
shape in section can als~ be used with the frame side wall 16 as
shown in Figure 3. The support bar 118 will of course be made so
as to fit within the cha~nel 17 as shown. The channel shape of bar
118 will provide the nec~ssary clearance for the rivetting exten-
sions 38.
It will, therefore, be understood that the invention
broadly comprises an air director blade assembly for an air grille,
said assembly having a plurality of air director blades arranged
transversely of said frame extending from side to side thereof
-- 11 --
1~4S44Z
parallel with one another, and there being a pair of blade support-
ing bar members supporting and locating the opposite ends of said
blades, the blade supporting bars being adapted for mounting on the
opposite side members of a framework, whereby the blades and blade
supporting bars may be assembled independently of the frame and
placed in position in a frame to complete the air grille.
The invention further comprises, as a separate component,
a frame specifically adapted to receive a pre-formed blade assembly,
and novel blades for use in such assembly
The invention also envisages a composite air grill
using such components, and also a corner locking member for locking
the frame components together in a rectangular form.
The locking plates 24 are shown in detail in Figure 23.
Plates 24 have inner edges 130 extended to form angled
pointed corners 132. The end edges 133 are angled at 45 so that
,
the outer edges 134 are the same length as the inner edges 130.
Teeth 136 are~formed on the outer edges 134 by shearing
the metal at intervals and bending generally triangular portions
upwardly or downwardly, (or in both directions).
The use of inner and outer edges of the same length per-
mits the plates 24 to be manually inserted in the ends of the frameportions and pressed home by hand.
- ~he term air g,rille is used through ir. z general sense to
indicate any opening through which air or gas passes in a directed
manner. In particular, it does not exclude combinations of an air
damper, with such a gri~le, which is sometimes known as an "~ir
registern. : :
The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment
of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The
invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific
features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof
as come within the scope of the appended claims.
- 12 -
