Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
7;~:~67
This invention relates to metal buildings,
particularly of the pre-engineered type comprising bolted
together metal columns and beams with metal panels secured
thereto. This type of building structure grew significant~
ly in popularity during the 1950's, and it possesses
many advantages. For example, the building is relatively
economical and may be constructed relatively quickly and
easily with relatively unskilled labor. However, such
buildings are relatively difficult to heat and maintain
com~ortably warm in cald climates. Also, such buildings ~.
can suffer serious damag~ due to fire, and the insurance
on the building and contents is ~uite high~ This is due, -:
at least in part, to the fact that the metal components of
the building quickly lose their strength and buckle or
collapse when subjected for relatively short times to the j~.
temperature associated with a fire. . :
. Typical heating systems for metal buildings .~ :-
utilize the circulation of heated air, and in some ~:
i~stances, infra-red heaters are use~n However, it is
relatively costly to heat such buildings with either of
these methods, since metal.buildings are generally not
well insulated and large heat losses through the walls .~ `,
and roof of the building are experienced, and moreover,
when circulated hot air is used for heating buildings,
large amounts of heat are lost through open doors and the
like, and con~idera~le time is required in order to
bring the temperature of the building ~ack to comfor.table ~: .
levels~ Infra-red heaters, on the other hand, are
relatively expensive.to install and require relatively
3Q large amounts of energy to operate. Additionally, with ~.
conventional heating systems extensive ductwork or
,
7~ZQ6~
plumbing and the like must be provided in t he building ~ :
for circulation of hot air or hot water and the like to
radiators or grids provided in the building. All of
these factors contribute both to the initial cost of
the building an~ to the cost of maintaining and operating
the same. Moreover, elaborate and expensive firefighting
equipment is frequently provided in such builclings, and;`
the most common type of firefighting system comprises
sprinklers and associated plumbing and pumps and the ~;
like. However t such systems do little to protect the
metal components of the building itself, and in fact~
sprinklers can cause severe damage to the contents of the .
building.
There are various firefigh~ing systems known in
the prior art for maintaining metal components in metal
buildings cool, or for discharging water onto a fire. ~ ~
For example, see any of U.S. Patent Nos. 273,556, 472,746, ~1 ;
1~644~603~ 2t416r284~ 2~530~001~ 2~803~318~ 3~050~134
~464~17~ 3~616~583~ 3~837~126 and 3~837~405.
It will be noted that none of these patents
discloses or suggests either t.he particular water
circulating ~yst~m or associated firefighting apparatus
or a combined building heating and firefighting system
as taught by~the present invention.
The present invention provides a unique
integrated heating system with the metal building structure, ~ -
wherein separate heating ducts and the like are not ~ ;
required, and wherein relatively small, inexpensive and
efficient heating units or boîlers are sufficient to
maintain the tempexature in the building at a comfortable
level. More particularly, in accordance with the present
~)7Z~67 - `
in~ention a unique integrated heating system is provided,
wherein a relatively small hot water boiler is connected
with suitable piping, including heating grids embed~ed
in the floor of the buildingl and with the heating grids
connected with the support columns and roof beams of ;~
the building, and wherein the columns ana roof be~ms
are constructed with hollow interiors for circulation of
hot water therethrough, 6uch that water heated by the
.
boiler is circulated throu~h the columns and beams
and throuyh the grids in the floor to heat the building
primarily through radiant energy to thus obtain a substan-
tially uniform temperature throughout the lnterior space
o~ the building. Moreov~r, with the unique heating system
~rovided by the invention, the structural steel members
~f the frame of the building and the concrete floor
.
thereof are heated and water is used as the heat exchange
medium. All of these elements retain heat for a period
longer khan air, and accordingly, once a desired temper- -
ature is obtained, the residual heat in these elements
will maintain the temperature for an extended period of
time. Accordingly, operation of the heater or boiler is
required only at relatively infrequent intervals, as
campared with prior art systems. A further advantage
of this unique heating system is that open doors and the
like to not affect temperature within the building as
dra~tically as prior art ~yste~s utilizing circulated
hot air~ Moreover, the metal components of the building
aDd the floor and the like are all warm, thus adding to
the comfort of the interior of the building. Still
further, the unique arrangement of components of the
- heating system of the invention enables different areas
of the building to be heated to different temperatures, to
thus obtain the most romfortable and efficient temperature
- 4 -
~ ~7Z067
relationships through~ut the build ~ . For example, in some areas ;
a lower temperature may be requi~ed for comfort than in
other areas of the building, and also, the northern
portion of the building or that portion thereof exposed
to the more severe weather conditions may require a
greater temperature input than other portions of the
building to maintain a substantially uniform and
c~mfortable temperature level throughout the building. - -
In fact, in a building constructed in -;
accordance with the present invention, a boiler or
heater having a capacity normally used to heat a hom~
having approximately 2,000 square feet of living space
was utilized to effectively maintain a comfortable
temperature in a metal building having approximately ~`
31,000 square feet of floor space. Moreover, with this
invention it was found that during even the coldest
winter months the bailer or burner only operated for l
approxLmately 4 hours out of a 24 hour period, and yet
maintained adequate te~erature levels. The result with
the building constructed in accordance with the present -~
inve~tion was a savings of approximately 70% in ~uel
costs, along with a greater degree of comfort in the
building, and in fact, it i5 estimated that the savings
realized ~y the heating system of the invention will
actually pay for the cost of construction of the ~uilding
i~ approximately 10 years.
Most importantly in the present application,
the hot water heating system also serves to keep the
metal structural members of the building cool in the
3~ event of a fire in the building, and thus damage to the
structural elements is prevented. This uni~ue advantage
is obtained without expensive sprinklex sys~ems or add-on
- 5 -
~72~)ti7
-
water circulatin~ devices, as in some prior art arrangements. ;
Still further, unique water discharge means may be
associated with the water circula~ing means to discharge .
water onto the building structural members which do not
have provision for circulation of water therethrough. ~:
~ ~ith a building having the combined heating
and firefighting system according to the invention, :
insurance rates are much lower and fire damage to the ::`
building is pra~.tically eliminated.
The invention is described further, by way of
illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, . ~ :
in which~
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a metal
building having the combined heating and firefighting
system in accordance with the invention;
~Figure 2 is a transverse view in section of
~ the building of Figure l;
: Figure 3 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary
: vlew in section of a portion of the ~u1lding of Figure 1,
Showing one of the centre columns and the centre portion ; ~
of the roof beam; ` . .
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view, :
with portions broken away, or a ridge beam or adaptor and ~ ;
portions of related structure;
Figure 5 is a view in section of the ridge . ~`.
beam or adaptor of Figure 4; . ~:
Figure 6 is a fragmentary, perspective view of .~ .
a bear.~ng pad and pipe connection assembly used at the
bottom of the centre columns 15;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the frame
: and piping assembly for the building according to the -:
- 6 -
.
~L~72~ ;7
;`., ~:'
invention; '
Figure 8 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary
view in section of the juncture between one of the roof
beams and haunch columns of the frame in Figure 7;
- ' Figure 9 is a view in section taken along line
9~9 in Figure 8; - ` -
Figure 10 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentaxy, . .
perspective view showing one of the firefighting devices
. according to the invention for discharging water onto the "
purlins to keep them cool;
Figure ll is an enlarged view in section taken
along line 11-11 in Figure 1~
;
Figure 12 is a ~urther enlarged view in section
taken along line 12-12 in Figure 11;
Figure 13 is~ an enlarged view in section'taken
along line 13-13 in Figure 2 and appears on the same sheet .`
- . ~ '.:~ .
. of drawings as Figures 1 and 2;
.:
: Figure 14 is a perspective view of a portion ; ~`
~.
of'the heating system for the building; :
- 20 ~ Figure 15 is an enlarged, fragmentary, : '
sectional view'of the lower end of a haunch column and
its juncture with the floor; and ~ :
~ ~Figure 16 is a view in section taken along
line 16~16 in Pigure 15
In the drawings, wherein like re~erence numerals
indicate like parts throughout the several views, a ~ .
building in accordance with the present invention is.:
' 'indicated generally at 10 and comprises a concrete floor
: 11 and frame 12, including inclined tubular roof beams or
rafter beams 13, ridge beams or adaptors 14, upright centre ':~-
~ columns lS and upright haunch columns 16 at the~sides of '''.
the ~uilding and supporting the roof beams and adaptors
1~72~
or ridge beams. The columns 15 and 16 are supported at
their lower ends on concrete footers 17 and 18, respect-
ively. The building includes an extended portion 19 on
one side thereof, including ro~f beams 13' and columns
16' supported on footers 18'. An extended floor portion
11' extends beneath the extended portion 19 of the
building.
Suitable wall panels 20 and roof panels 21 o~
metal and the like are suitably secured to the frame in
:
a conventional manner to enclose the building, and a
layer of sprayed on fiber insulation 22 may be applied to
the interior surface of the building to insulate the
walls and roof thereof and prevent excessive heat transfer
therethrough. If desired, and in the preferred embodiment,
the insulation is applied to varying thicknesses, so as tD
obtain a substantially uniform heat loss or insulation
factor throughout the height of the building~
The overall heating and fire control system
for the building is seen best in Figures 2 and 7. The
. .
~0 heating and fire control or firefighting system of the
invention is integrated into the structure of the building,
and utilizes hot water as the heat exchange medium for
heating the building. The water-is heat~d in a paix of
~oilers 23 and 24 of any suitable conventional type, as
for example, gas fired or electrically heated and the
lik~, and in a preferred embodiment, each boiler has a
capacity and is of the type sufficient to normally heat
a house having about 2,000 square feet of living space.
One of ~he boilers in the building of ~he invention
serves as a backup for the other boiler, whereby in the
eYent of failure of one of the boilers9 freezing o~ the
~.
- 8 -
- ~72C~67
building can be prevented by using the backup boiler.
The boilers are connected through suitable valves 25
and 26 for controlling flow from the boilers, with supply
pipes 27 and 28 ioined to adjacent centre col~nns 15
for flow of hot water from one or the other or both of
the boilers through the pipes 27 and 2~ to the columns
15. The columns are hollow, and in a preferred embodimènt,
: comprise 6 inch structural steel pipe. The connection
of the supply pipes 27 and 28 with the columns 1~ is
identical and details of the connection of pipe 27 with
. - ;
- column 15 are shown in Figures 3 and 5.
During construction of the footer 17, a bearin~
pad and pipe connection assembly 29 is supported at the
upper end of the form for the footer 17, and the assembly
includes a rectangularly shaped metal bearLng pad 30
having an orifice or opening 31 through the centre thereof, .
and a plur lity of anchor ~olts 32 secured thereto and "~
depending therefrom. Cross braces or ties 33 are welded or
otherwise suitably secured to the lower ends of the
anchor bolts 32 for forming a secure anchor with the ~.concrete in the ~ooter 17 when the concrete is cured. Also,
a 3 lnch standard T 34 is welded to the underside of the . :
~earing pad 30 and the supply pipe 27 is thead~dly joined :~
thereto. An outlet pipe 35 is threadably connected to .~ `
the other end of T 34 and extends outwardly of the footer
17 on the side thereof opposite supply pipe 27 for
continling the flow of hot water beyond column 15. The
column 15 has a ~earing plate 36 welded or otherwise
suitably af~ixed to the ~ottom end thereof, and a sealing
3Q gasket 37 of a ru~ber asbestos material or the like,
preferably reinforced with a ~ire mesh, is sandwiched
.:
_ g -- ~:
~07Z~
between the plates 30 and 36.
As seen in Figure 3~ the upper surface of
bearing pad 30 i5 disposea substantially flush with the
upper surface of the footer 17.
The pipe 35, after exiting from the first ;.
footer 17, is connected with a heating grid 38 embedded
in the floor 11 and comprising a T fitting 39 having
oppbsitely extending supply header pipes 40 and 41 secured ~.:
thereto. Ea~h of the supply header pipes has a plurality
of laterally extending, relative~y short slip connectoxs
or nipples 42 welded or otherwise suitably ~ffixed thereto
in cubstantially equally spaced apart relationship. An
O-ring 43 is fitted around each of the nipples 42 and a .;
heat grid tube 44 is slipped over each of the nipples
in telescoped,~ snug fitting, sealed relationship
thereto. The other ends of the heat grid tubes 44 are
similarly sealingly received over nipples 45 welded to . ;~.
and projecting from oppositely extendin~ manifold pipes ~.
46 and 47 projecting from opposite sides of a T fitting
48y which is connected with an assembly 29 in a subsequent
footer 17 beneath the next adjacent column lS. Accordingly, `~:
hot water leaving the grid 38 enters the assembly 29 in ..
. footer 17 and a portion thereof flows upwardly ihrough ~;
.column 15, while the remainder thereof flows outwardly
into a subsequent grid 38 between the negt adjacent pair of
columns. The flow continues accordingly through
subsequent grids 38 and upwardly through columns 15 to
the eridmost column 15' at the end of the building. A
bypass valve 49 is in the pipe between the las~ grid 38
and last or endmost column lS', and a bypass pipe 50 is
connected therewith and extends to a return pipe 51,
whereby upon manipulation of the valve 4~, the flow of hot
)67
;,:,
water exiting the last grid 38 is diverted through ..
bypass pipe 50 and to the return pipe 51 and thence back
through pipe 52 to a pump P, which is in turn connected
with boilers 23 and 24 for effecting circulation of the ~i
water in the heating system. ~ :
A substantially identical arrangement is
pxovided at the other end of the building, wherein a
plurality of heating grids 38' are provided between adjacent `
cQlumns l~ and a bypass pipe is connected with a return
pipe for returning water from the grid directly to the
pump P and boiler or boilers 23 and 24. : ;:
. The upper ends of the columns 15 each has a
bolt flange 53 welded or otherwise suitably secured
thereto, and the flanges 53 on the columns 15 are bolted
to the opposite side edge portions 54 and 55 of the bottom
wall 56 of the ridge beams or adaptors 1~. A pair of
openings 57 are formed through the bottom wall 56 in
: communication with the ~ollow interior of the column 15 ::
.
for.flow of water upwardly from the column into the
hollow interior of the adaptor or ridge beam 14. ~:
As best seen in Figures 3~ 4 and 5, the
ridge beam or adaptor comprises the bottom wall 56 and : ;
a pair of substantially parallel, spaced apart side walls : .
58 and 59. A top wall 60 is welded to the upper edges of
side walls 58 and 59 and has oppositely downwardly sloping `
sides of the desired pitch ~or the pitch of the roof in
- the assembled buil~ing.
. A pair of flow control orifice plates 61 and
62 are secured in the space between side walls 58 and 59
on opposite sides of the openin~s 57 for controlling flow
outwardly to opposite ends of the ridge beam 14.
~07;~67
A gasket 63, similar to gasket 37, is inter-
posed between the upper end of column 15 and the bottom .
wall 56 of ridge beam or adaptor 14. Opposite ends of ~.
ridge beam 14 are closed by bolt plates 64 and 65 having
openings 65 and 67 therethrough for flow of water
outwardly from the ridge beam 14 into the roof beams or
rafter beams 13. ~ .
- As seen in Figure 9, the rafter beams 13 each
comprises a pair of substantially parallel, elongate,
spaced apart side wal~s 68 having top and bottom walls .
69 and 70 welded thereto. The side walls 68 are maintained
in predetermined spaced apaxt relationship duri~g assembly .. :
by means of spacers 71 secured between the side walls 68. .
The upper ends of the beams 13 have bolt flanges 72 welded
thereto, with openings 73 therethrough in registry with
the openings 66 and 67, respectively, at the respective I
end of the ridge beam 14, and sealing gaskets 74 are
sandwiched between the end plates or flanges 64 and 65 of - :
~ the ridge beam 14 and the end plates 72 of the rafter
beams 13. The lower ends of the rafter beams 13 are closed ~.
by angularly disposed plates 75 having a pair of spaced
opening~ 76 therethrough. near the lower end thereof for
flow of water from the rafter beam 13 into a haunch
column 16, and an opening~77 through an upper end portion ~.
thereof for flow of air there~hrough to prevent an airlock
from forming in the beams and columns. The upper end of ~ :
the haunch column 16 is similarly closed by a similar
plate 7~ having openings therethrough aligned with
openings 76 and 77 and sealed relative thereto by means of
gaskets 79 and 80 interposed between the plates 75 and
78. An orifice plate 81 is secured in the upper end
portion of each haunch column 16, and the oxifice plates
- 12 ~
~L~7;~6~
have a plurality of openings or orifices 82 formed
therethrough, with the orifices being of a larger size
as the distance of the haunch column from the pump
increases, so that a substantially uniform flow is
obtained throughout the system, regardless of the
distance from the circulating pump.
The outer upper end portion of the haunch
columns 16 in the area adjacent the building extension
lq have openings 83 and 84 in registry with like openings
in an adja~ent end of the rafter beams or roof ~eams 13'
of the extension for flow of water from haunch column 16 -
into the extended or exten$ion rafter beams 13'. The ~ -
openings 83 and 84 are suitably sealed by means of gaksets
85 and 86 sandwiched between the haunch column 16 and
aajacent end of rafter beam 13'. The lower ends of . ;.
the haunch columns 16 have plates 87 secured thereto as by ~
welding or the like, and the plates 87 are supported on ~;
and secured to anchor plates or support pads 30' cast
into the upper end portion or surface of footers or piers
18, similarly to the arrangement at the centre columns
15. However, rather than the T fitting 34, as used with
the centre columns, a pipe 88 extends out from the side
of the lower end portion of haunch column 16 and has a
val~e 89 therein for controlling flow therèthrough to a
heating grid 90 at the side of the building.
Each heating grid 90 comprises a supply header
41 to which the pipe 88 is connected for supplying hot
water {:hereto.
A plurality of laterally extending pipe stubs
or nipples 92 are welded along one side o~ the supply
header 91 on approximately 15 inch centres, and a plurality
13
:
.. . . .. . . .
~ ~7z067 ~ ~
of heat grid tubes 93 are slidably and sealably
received over the pipe stubs 92 and are sealed thereto :
by means of O-rings or the like 94. The heat grid tubes
93 in one embodiment of the invention comprise 1 inch di-
ameter furniture tubes having the ends thereof slightly
flared and smooth on their inner surfaces for a tight
sliding engagement with the pipe stubs and O-rings. The
heat grid tubes 93 are connected at their other ends with .
a plurality o~ pipe stubs or nipples 95 welded along one
side of an exhaust manifold ~6, which. in turn, is threadably
connec~ed with an elbow 97, which in turn, is joined with
the return pipe 51. ~.
The pipes 91~ 93 and 96 are all preferably ~:
. coated with a hi~h temperature epoxy paint 9B to protect
them from the corrosive effect of the concrete as it
set~ up, and also to prevent electrolysis after the
concrete cures. The return pipe 51 and elbow 97 are
prefera~ly made of PVC plastic and are wrapped or covered
with an approximately 4 .inch thick layer of insulation 99,
20 E such as Zonolite~or the like, and the insulation is
wrapped with a layer of plastic 100 to hold the insulation `
in place.
A layer of insulation 101 is also provided
~eneath the floor of the building.
A typical building constructed in accordance
~ith the invention may be about 200 feet long and 120
feet wide and have an extension or office area 19 on the
side thereof about 30 feet wide and 114 feet long, ~
with an overhead concrete storage area. Further, except :.
for the section in the centre of the building where the ;,
boilers are located, each heat grid 38 and 38' is
-- 14 ~ i:
:. : .~ !
72c~67
approximately 30 feet wide and 20 feet long between each
pair of centre columns, and the heat grids 90 between
the haunch columns are approximately 15 feet wide and
20 feet long. Therefore, approximately 40% of the floor
area is heated. Additionally, the heated water is
discharged from the boilers into the pipes after
approximately a 40 to 80 degree temperature rise. The
inlet temperature of the water going into the boilers at -
the beginning of boiler operation is about 7Q to 75 ;; ~-~
degrees, and the temperature is raised approximately
40 degrees at a flow rate of about 80 gallons per
minute. The temperature of water in the entire structure
of the building will begin to rise until the inlet water
temperature into the boilers is about 100 degrees. At
this time, the outlet temperatue of water from the l`
boilers will be about 140 degrees, and the building will
~hen have reached a temperature sufficient to operate
the thermostat and turn off the boilers. The entire
building structure, including the concrete floor, steel
frame and water, will then tend to equalize in temperature,
and the overall temperature will gradually drop until the ~;
temperature below the thermostat setting is reached, at
which tLme the boilers and pump will again begin to
operate. The boilers and p~p motor are connected
together electrically to the thermostat, so that any time
- the boilers come on, the pump comes on. If the pump does
not come on for some reason, the boilers will shut down, -
and if this fails to function properly, khen a temperature
responsive switch connected with the boilers will shut
down ~he boile~s at a maximun~ water temperature of about
200F~
' ~
'- 15 --
~ t72~
The insulation and plastic surrounding the PVC
return pipe not only prevents heat loss from the pipe
into the ground, but also allows for relatively unimpeded
movement or slippage between the pipe and the ground to -
- enable the pipe to expand and contract with thermal
changes. . ;
The valve 89 at the base of each haunch column
in the pipe 88 leading to each heat grid 90 enables the
flow of hot water to the respective grids to be ~ut off r
: 10 so that any of the heat grids 90 in the floox may be .::
rendered inoperative as desired to control the temperature
in various areas throughout the bllilaing. Further, the
valves 49 at the end`columns 15' in the centre of the
building enable the 10w of hot water to be bypassed
through pipes 50 to the return lines 51 and 51' and
thence back to the pump and boilers without circulation ~ `
of the water through the endmost columns and roof beams
and heat grids in the floor at the sides of the buildiny.
If desired, a bypass pipe 50 and bypass valve 49 may be
.20 provided at the outlet of each of the centre heat grids
38 to divert flow from the grids immediately to return
.lines 51 and 51' without flow upwardly through the centre . :
columns lS and thence downwardly through the roof beams
or rafter beams to the haunch columns and heat grids 90
at the sides of the building. :
With a building constructed in accordance with .
the invention, the heating system maintains the temperature
to only a 1 or 2 degree differential between a point 1 foo~
. . above the floor and a point 1 foot below the ceiling. : ;~
Moreover, because of the fact that the floor and ceiling
and walls of the building are all warm and radiant energy
''`'~ .
~ 16 -
~i~7Z~3~;7
is used to heat the building, a te~perature of about 65
degrees can be maintained and persons within the building
will stay guite comfortable.
Furtherl one of the boilers serves as a backup
for the othex to prevent freezing of the building in the
event one of the boilers should fail for any reason.
The roof panels 21 are supported on top of
purlins 102, which are in turn supported on top of the
roof beams or rafters 13, and as seen in Figure 3, the
~djacent upper edges of roof panels 21 on opposite sides
of the roof are spaced from one another and a longitudinally
extending crown member or ridge 103 of a suitable heat -
destructable material, such as plastic or the like, is
secured thereon for closing the space between the roof -~
panels. This plastic crown member melts or breaks from
the heat developed during a fire in the building, and ~;~
accordingly, serves to vent the interior of the
building to prevent the heat from building to a destructive
level therein~ Smoke is also vented from the hui~ding
by this means, and thus potential smoke damage ~o the
contents of the huilding can be reduced.
Further, as seen in Figure 3, a water level
switch 104 is provided in the adaptors or ridg~ beams 14,
and has a float operated contact therein which clo=es when
the water level falls below a predetermined level, usually
set at about 6 inches below the top of the adaptors or ridge
beams 14, to energize a solenoid operated valve 105
positioned in a pipe 106 leading to a suitable source of
water for raising the water level in kh~ building system.
The water level switch may be of any suitable conventional
construction, and may be the type supplied, for example5 by
- 17
~ ~7;2~67
Murphy Manufacturing Company o~ Tulsa~ Oklahoma. When -~
the water level reaches the desired level, the contacts
of the switch 104 are opened, thus shutting the valve
105. The water level may fall, for example, when a fire
occurs in the build.ing and some of the water is converted ~`
to steam or lost through water discharge devices used
for cooling other structural members of the building.
In addition to the water level switch 104, a
plurality of hea~ sensing elements 107 are provided in
desired locations throughout the building for sensing
the temperature associated with a fire and sending a
signal through wires 108 to the solenoid operated valve
195 to operate the valve to flood the water passages in
the frame of the building and cause flow of water upwardly
through openings 109 in the tops of the adaptors or ridge
beams 14 into pipe fittings llO and thence into apertured
water discharge pipes 111 extending longitudinally of the
building for effecting a flow of water downwardly over: the
roof panels 21 to maintain them cool and prevent
destruction thereof due to the heat associated with a
fire in the ~uilding. The heat sensing elements may be
of any suitable type readily commercially available, and
may, for example, be of the infra-red type.
Additionally, ~eans are provided for keeping
the roof purlins, eaves struts and wall girts cooled in : ~:
the event of a fire in the building, and such means com- : `
prises a hole through the top plate 69 of the roof beams ~ . :
or ra~ters 13 adjacent the intersection thereof with the
purlins 102~ A threaded elkow 112 is fixed in each opening,
3Q and a T fitting 113 is suitably secured, as by threads
- or the like, to the elhow 112. Machined tubes 114 and 115,
- 18 - -
7Z(~67 ~
preferably of stainless steel and the like, are threaded ~:~
into the opposite ends of the T-fitting 113, and rubber
plugs 116 and 117, having grooved outer configurations,
are pressed into the ends of the tubes 114 and 115 and
are held therein by means of capsules 118 and 119 of glass
',:.
or other suitable material filled to approximately 90
of their capacity with a liquid such as an antifr~eze
solution or the like, and held in position against the ,-
plugs 116 and 117 by means of L-shaped brackets 120 and
.. ~.
121 secured to the tubes 114 and 115 by means of circular. ~ :~
: clips 122 and 123 and associated set screws or the like ::
124 and 125.~ :
In the event of a fire in the building, the
liquid in the glass capsules 118 and 119 is heated and
the resulting vapor pressure produced exceeds the tensile ~ .
strength of the material comprising the capsules, causing ;
th~m to break, and the similarly heated water in the T-
~itting 113 expels the rubber plugs 116 and 117 from the ;
ends of the tubes 114 and 115, thus effecting a flow of
water along the channel defined by the purlins 102 to
keep the purlins and also eaves struts and wall girts .
cool in the event of a fire to prevent their destruction.
As seen in Figure 9, the bottom plate 70 of the .~ :
roof beams or rafters 13 have upturned side edges 126 and
127 thereon defining channels which receive overflow
and the like from the purlins, and this overflow is
carried to the sides of the building.
Thus with the present invention, a very ~ ~
economical and effective ~uilding heating system is ~.
provided which additionally comprises means for preventing
-- 19 --
~.
~:~7~Z~67 ~ ~
heat damage to the structural elements of the building :
in the event of a f ire in the building . ~ . -
Modificatiorls are possible within the scope
of the invention.
: . ' ` ' .' ,~ :
: .
., '
- ''' .''
~.
''~.
,', ~ . .
- 20 -
