Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02448369 2003-11-05
1 D~:CORAfIVE CAP FOR GAS APPLIANCI~'~~;N'1.'S
s
4 Cross Reference to Related Avvlications
This application claims the henefit of tJ.S. provisional Serial No.
60/423,789,
6 filed November S, 2002.
7
8 Background of the Invention
9 This invention concerns caps for vented gas appliances. Gas fired appliances
such
as fireplaces, stoves, etc., have exhausts which are in most instances
required to be vented to the
11 exterior of the building iwuvhich they are installed. Such exhaust vents
are often combined with
12 fresh air intakes used to support combustion in the appliance without
consuming heated room air.
13 The air inlet and exhaust ducts can be collinear in which they run
alongside the each other in
I4 being routed to the cap. A coaxial arrangement is also used in which the
air inlet and exhaust
pipes are nested within each other.
16 The inlet must be isolated from the exhaust to prevent intermixing the
exhaust gas
17 products with the fresh air intake.
18 For this reason, wind control measures must be taken where the exhaust vent
19 terminates.
Even in the absence of a fresh air inlet wind control arrangements are often
21 employed with exhaust vents to prevent back drafts affecting the efficiency
of the appliance.
22 Conventional chimneys are often eqn.ipped with a metal cap to prevent
entrance of
:?3 rain, animals, Ieaves, etc., and have a traditional look comprised of a
rectan,~ular box enclosure
2~ having mesh openings ox~ each side, and a down sloping top. This
traditional look has come to
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1 Lze considered aesthetically desirable feature of home architecture.
The wind control caps for gas appliance exhaust vents with exposed wind
control
3 baffles or louvered cylinders by contrast pxesent an industrial, utilitarian
appearance, inferior to
4 the traditional chimney cap.
It is the obj ect of the present invention to provide a cap for gas appliance
exhaust
G vents which presents an improved appearance consistent with traditional home
architecture.
7
8 Summar roof the Invention
The above object and others which will become apparent upon a reading of the
following specification and claims are achieved by a cap completely enclosing
an exhaust vent
1 l and wind baftT.ing, and having an exterior traditional appearance. The cap
may be used with
12 combined exhaust and air intake piping, in which case the cap has a bottom
partition adapted to
13 receiving the air intake and air exhaust vents.
1 A A rectangular mesh perinxeter wall creates a hox like enclosure which
supports the
bottom enclosure and an intermediate partition thZ'orxgh. which only the
exhaust vent penetrates.
t G A wind control baffling arrangement is mounted above the intermediate
partition
~.7 and surrounds the exhaust vent terminus, surrounded by the mesh perimeter
wall.
18 A cap top extends over the perimeter wall of the enclosure with a
substantial
19 overhang to prevent rain froth. ezttez'ing the exhaust vent for air inlet).
The mesh openings in
the enclosure sides keeps out debris, animials, etc., while allowing escape of
the exhaust
? 1 gases and intake of fresh air. The enclosed also supports the top and
intermediate partifiions.
'?2 The cap may also be used with an exhaust vent alone, with wind baffling
mounted
2
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l to a bottom partition, and completely surrounded wish au enclosure provided
with mesh
2 openings.
3 The external appearance of the cap is aesthetically pleasing and is
compatible with
4 the traditional look of conventional chimney caps, despite the; presence of
wind baffling since
this is concealed by being enclosed within to the cap surrounded by the
enclosure with mesh
6 openings.
7
8 Description of the Dracwinas
9 Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a frst embodiment of vent cap according to
the
1 Q present invention.
11 Figure 2 is a view of the section 2-2 taken in Figure 1.
12 Figure 3 is a view of tile section 3-3 taken in Figure 1.
I 3 Figure 4 is a pictorial view of a second embodiment of the vent cap
according to
14 the present invention. .
Figure 5 is a view of the section 5-5 taken in Figure 4.
I 6 Figure 6 is a view of the section G-6 taken in Figure 4.
17 Figure 7 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of a vent cap according
to the
18 invention having a fitted flue mounting.
19 Figure S is a sectional view of the vent cap shown in Figure 7 with an
alternative
0 wind venting for the exhaust vent_
? 1 Figure 9 is a view of the section 9-~ taken in Figure 8.
22 Figure 10 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a vent cap
according to
3
.. .. __ __..._ .--_.,......_ .,..~.._.~,.....,_,..._._...._.......
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the lnventlon Used with an exhaust VCTlt OIlly_
Z
3 Detai led Description
4 In. the following detailed description, certain specific texminoIogy will be
employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in
accordance with the
b require~rnents of 35 USC 112, but it is to be undc~stood that th.e same is
not intended to be
7 limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable
of taking many
8 forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims.
9 Figure I shows a cap 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention
which
includes a sheet metal box shaped enclosure 12, defined by a rectangular
perimeter wall provided
I 1 with meslZ openings 14 over a large port of the area of each side. The
sheet metal is a rust
t 2 resistant, attractive material such as aluminum, galvanized steel,
stainless steel, painted steel or
13 aluminum, or copper.
14 A rectangular sheet metal top 16 is attached to cover the perimeter wall,
extending
well out to create an effective rain. shield. A dovm turned edge 18 and corner
ridges 20 add
1 b aesthetic appeal and improved stiffness.
1 '~ The bottom of the enclosure I2 has a series of horizontal flanges 2z
extending
18 outwardly therefrom for mounting to a chase structure in the well known
mannex.
I 9 A fitted bottom for mounting to a chimney flue tile or a plate universal,
mounting
for installation atop a chimney flue tile (described below) can be used
alternatively as Will be
21 understood by one skilled in the art.
22 Figures 2 and 3 show the interior features, including a coaxial duct
fitting 24
4
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1 secured to a horizontally extending bottoan floor panel 26 having a flange
2$ riveted or otherwise
2 fastened to the inside of the perimeter walls of the enclosure 12.
3 A bead of high temperature adhesive caulk 38 can be used to attach and seal
the
4 pip fitting 32 included in the duct fitting 24 to the bottom floor panel 26_
S The larger diameter outer sheet metal pipe fitting 32 is adapted to be
attached to a
6 fresh air intake pipe extending from the appliance (not shown).
7 An inner smaller diameter exhaust pipe fitting 34 is coa~tial to the outer
pipe 32
8 and is designed to be connected to an exhaust went pipe extending from the
gas appliance (not
9 shown).
1 p The inner exkaust pipe fitting 34 penetrates a hole 35 in a horizontal
intermediate
1 I partition panel 36 hawing a flange 38 ftt to the inside of the wall
structure 12 and attached thereto
12 as by riveting or other method.
13 A flange 40 supports the inner pipe 34 on the intermediate partition panel
36 so
1,4 that exhaust gases exit above the partition panel 36.
I 5 hzside arzd outside sets of upright wind baffles 42A, 42B are attached to
the upper
16 surface of the partition panel 36, arrayed about the hole 35 therein
receiving the exhaust pipe 34.
). 7 The wind baffles 42A, 42B are offset radially as best seen in 1~igure 3,
each baffle 42 having
18 flaz~.ge edges 44 at the top and bottom far riveting the wind baffles 42 to
the top 16 and the
19 partition panel 36.
20 The offset location of the inner set of wind baffles 42A with respect to
the outer
21 set 42B eliminates any straight through gaps across the hole 35, thus
insuring that the wind
22 cannot blow straight across the opening as known to those skilled in the
art.
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I Other wind defleeiing arrangements can be employed, such as louvered collar
attached above the hole 35 (described below).
3 'fhe external appearance is greatly improved by this complete enclosing of
the
4 wind baffles 42A, 42B and exhaust vent pipe end by the enclosure 12.
Figures 4-6 show a cap 10A for a "eolinear" gas appliance vent in ~cvhich the
air
6 intake pipe fitting 44 is alongside and parallel to the exhaust pipe 4b.
7 ~ As in the first embodiment, the air intake pipe fitting 48 penetrates an
8 intermediate level partition panel 48 and two sets of upright wind baffles
48A, 48B are arrayed
9 about the upper end of the exhaust pipe 46.
The air intake pipe fitting 44 passes tl~mugh a bottom panel 52, bath air
intake
11 pipe fitting 44 and exhaust vent pipe fitting 46 secured to the bottom
panel 52, 54 with a caulk
12 bead.
13 A universal bottom plate 56 is adapted to be caulked to the top of a
chimney flue,
14 which is an alternative to the chase mounting flanges described above.
A third embodiment of the cap l OB having another mounting option is shown in
16 Figure 7 in which the interior contour 57 of the enclosure 12B beneath tb.e
bottom panel 52 is
17 sized and shaped to receive the chimney flue, thereby able to be fitted
thereto when the cap l OB
1 S is installed.
1 g Figures 8 and 9 show a fourth cap embodiment l OC with an alternative form
of
wind deflecting baffling, comprised of a louvered ring SS formed with louvers
60, having its
2 x vertical axis centered on t>ae exhaust pipe fitting 46 center, preventing
the wind frozzz blowing
22 straight across the upper end of the exhaust pipe fitting 46.
G
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figure 10 shows a ~i~h embodiment o1'a cap lUD in which the cap l OD is used
2 with ~.n exhaust vent 46 only. Ln this case, the louvered ring SOA extends
the full height oi'the
interior of the enclosure 12.
4
7
