GB2076870A - Construction of enclosures - Google Patents

Abstract

A sound insulating enclosure comprises a series of side frames and a roof frame each including studs 8 which are interconnected by a device (e.g. a bolt 16 and elongate slot 11) which permits relative adjustment of the frame longitudinally of the studs 8. Panels are secured in the spaces between adjacent studs 8. Each panel comprises spaced inner and outer skins secured together by a peripheral, channel- section edge (38), each panel (32) being secured to the associated stud (8) by a series of clamping means (50) reacting between the channel section edge (38) and the stud. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Construction of enclosures This invention relates to enclosures and to the construction thereof, which enclosures may be for example acoustically-insulated housings or boxes for containing noisy apparatus.

It is often necessary to provide enclosures which must totally surround and acoustically dampen the substantial noise from apparatus such as electrical generators, the safety requirements of such encloures being particularly stringent. The enclosures must be waterproof, fireproof and explosive-proof and heretofore it has been common practice to provide panels of suitable material which are interconnected with one another by relatively crude means and which are such as to restrict the adaptability of the panels for use in enclosures of varying shapes and sizes.

According to the present invention there is provided an enclosure comprising a plurality of side frames and a roof frame interconnected with one another in such a manner that the frames can determine independent levels relative to one another within controlled limits prior to being secured together to form a rigid framework, each frame including a plurality of rigid, elongate members defining one or more apertures through the frame of predetermined dimensions for receiving therein associated panels of related dimensions, the enclosure further comprising a plurality of such panels, one for each aperture, each panel including substantially flat inner and outer skins spaced from one another, said outer skin having a peripheral edge portion projecting laterally beyond the edge portion of the inner skin, and each edge of a panel being of generally channel section, and a plurality of clamping means for reacting between the panels and the elongate members of the frames, the arrangement being such that, on location of a panel in an associated aperture in a frame, each edge of the panel embraces in part an adjacent elongate member of the frame with said peripheral edge portion of the outer skins of adjacent panels overlapping the associated elongate member, a plurality of said clamping means reacting between the channel section edges of each panel and the elongate members of the framework to retain the panels in the framework.

In a preferred enclosure, each rigid elongate member is of hollow rectangular section and may include a reinforcing element, for example of Tshape in transverse section, secured thereto and extending along the length of the inner face thereof.

The adjacent elongate members of adjoining frames may each include thereon co-operating connection means permitting interconnection of said adjoining frames in such a manner that the frames may determine independent levels relative to one another within controlled limits.

As mentioned above, each edge of a panel is of generally channel section, the preferred panel including a peripheral flange portion around the inner skin defining one side wall of the channel section, the peripheral edge portion around the outer skin defining the other, longer side wall of the channel section.

The volume of each panel bounded by the inner and outer skins and the base portions of the channel sections is conveniently filled with a suitable acoustically insulating material such as mineral wool.

Each clamping means conveniently comprise a clamping plate received within, to extend between and abut the inner face of the one side walls of, the channel sections of adjoining panels, said clamping plate including a threaded aperture therethrough, and, for each clamping means, a threaded bolt within the aperture the free end of which bolt engages the innerface of the associated elongate member embraced in part by said channel sections, the arrangement being such that, on tightening the bolt of a clamping means, the clamping plate is urged against the inner face of said one side wall of each associated channel section whereby the longer side walls of said channel sections are urged against the outer face of the elongate member to secure the panels in the frame.

In an alternative clamping arrangement, the clamping means each comprise a thrust plate mounted on, to be fixed relative to the outer face of, an elongate member, said plate including a threaded aperture through which extends a threaded bolt, and, for each clamping means, a clamping plate abutting the outer faces of the longer side walls of the channel sections of adjoining panels, the free end of the bolt engaging said clamping plate whereby, on tightening of the bolt, the longer side walls of the channel sections of the adjoining panels are urged against the outer face of the associated elongate member to secure the panels to the frames.

By way of examples only, enclosures according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 shows part of the framework of an enclosure according to the invention; Figures 2 to 6 show details of an enclosure according to the invention on a larger scale; Figure 7 is a horizontal section through part of an enclosure according to the invention; Figure 8 is a vertical section through part of an alternative enclosure according to the invention; Figure 9 shows an alternative clamping means to that of Figure 3, and Figure 10 shows a further detail of an enclosure according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows part of a framework including a side frame indicated generally at 2, an end frame indicated generally at 4 and a roof frame indicated generally at 6. Each frame consists of a plurality of vertical and horizontal elongate members 8 each of hollow rectangular section. The members 8 of each frame are welded to one another, each frame thereby defining a plurality of apertures therethrough of standardised, predetermined size.

Adjoining frames are interconnected by connection means shown best in Figure 5, said connection means each comprising a series of co-operating component parts provided on each of the adjacent members 8 of the adjoining frames, there being a plurality of such connecting means along the length ofeachjoin.

More particularly and referring to Figure 5, each connection means comprises a substantially rightangled bracket portion 10 welded to the front face of the endmost vertical member 8 or stile of one frame, an elongate recess 11 being formed in the free edge of an arm 12 of said portion 10. Aflange portion 14 is welded to, to project perpendicularly from, the side face of the endmost vertical member 8 or stile of the other frame, said flange portion having an aperture formed therethrough. The endmost vertical members 8 of the frames to be joined are located as shown in Figure 5 with the recess 11 in the bracket portion 10 and the aperture through the flange portion 14 of each connection means substantially horizontally aligned.An angled corner member 20 having an aperture through one arm thereof is positioned over the components 10,14with the aperture therein aligned with that through the flange portion 14 and a bolt 16 is inserted through the aligned apertures and recess 11. A drilled plate 18 receives therein the threaded shank of the bolt 16 to complete the joint. Each endmost member 8 includes a plurality of spaced connection means, the elongate nature of the recesses 11 in the arm 12 of the portions 10 permitting adjoining frames to determine independent levels relative to one another within controlled limits.

Similar arrangements to that described above and illustrated most clearly in Figure 5 are used to adjoin side frames and end frames, side frames and roof frames, and end frames and roof frames.

Individual end frames, side frames or roof frames can be extended into multi-lengths by the arrangementshown in Figure4fromwhich it can be seen that adjoining endmost elongate members 22,24 are half the depth of standard members 8 to enable an overlapping joint to be achieved - one half-width member 22 has welded thereto a plurality of spaced, threaded studs 26 which pass through oversize holes in the other half-width member 24, nuts 28 completing the joints. Such an arrangement provides an unbroken external surface to the extended frame.

Some at least of the members 8 may be provided along their innermost faces with T-section reinforcing pieces 30, particularly if high-sided walls or wide roof spans are required - the reinforcement provided by such pieces eliminates the need for separate and independment supporting means and enables the use of the modular frames described above even in the event of extensive enclosures.

Each aperture in a frame has a panel 32 associated therewith, the panels being dimensioned in accordance with the size of the apertures through the frames whereby, on location in the frames, a continuous enclosure is provided.

More particularly each panel 32 comprises sub stantially flat inner and outer skins 34,36 respectively the dimensions of the outer skin 36 being slightly greater than those of the inner skin for reasons to be detailed below. Each edge of a panel incorporates a generally channel-section edge member 38 including a base portion 40, a first arm portion 42 and a longer second arm portion 44 as best seen in Figured 6. The first arm portion 42 and the second arm portion 44 of each member 38 are secured to the peripheral regions of the opposed inner faces of the skins 34 and 36 respectively, the base portions 40 of the members 38 together with the inner and outer skins 34,36 defining a volume 46 within each panel which is filled with a suitable sound-proofing material such as mineral wool.The junctions between the edge members 38 and the skins 34,36 may be covered by edging strip 48 (Figure 6).

Referring particularly to Figures 6 and 7, a panel 32 is located within its associated aperture in a frame with the edge members 38 adjacent to, and partly embracing the associated elongate member 8. More particularly the peripheral region of the outer skin 36 overlaps the front face of the associated mem ber 8 while the peripheral region of the inner skin lies just behind and to one side of the rear face of said member 8.

Interconnection of the panels 32 with the frames 2,4 and 6 is achieved through a plurality of clamping means one of which, indicated generally at 50, is clearly detailed in Figures 3 and 6. Each clamping means comprises a rectangular clamping plate 52 the width of which is such as to extend between, to abut the inner faces of, the arm portions 42 of the adjacent edges of adjoining panels 32 (by way of the edging strips 48 if present). Athreaded bore is formed centrally through the plate 52 to receive the correspondingly threaded shank 54 of a bolt 56.

It will thus be appreciated that panels 32 can be secured in associated apertures in the frames 8 by said clamping means, a plurality of such clamping means being spaced along the length of each elongate member 8. On tightening of the belts 56, the free ends of the shanks 54 engage with the inner faces of the members 8, continued rotation of the bolts resulting in the arm portions 44 of the edge members 38 being drawn into pressurised contact, by way of the edging stripe 48 thereon, with the front faces of the members 8. Sealing strips 58 may be provided between the front faces of the members 8 and the edging strips 48. The T-section reinforcing pieces, if present, are apertured as at 60 to receive the clamping means (see Figure 8).

Figure 9 illustrates an alternative clamping means located in front of the elongate members 8 and co-operating with the outer skins 36 of the panels such means can be used when the enclosures are close-fitting on equipment within. More particularly each clamping means of Figure 9 comprises a hollow U-section housing 62 the ends of the leg portions 64 of which are welded to, to extend perpendicularly from, the front face of a member 8, an aperture being formed through the base portion 66 of said housing 62. A bridge plate 68 extends through the housing between the leg portions 64 thereof, said bridge plate having a threaded aperture therethrough. The shank 70 of a bolt 72 extends through the aperture in the base portions 66 of the housing 62 to be received within and extend through the threaded aperture in the bridge plate 68. The free end of the shank 70 engages a flat clamping plate 74 which also passes through the housing 62 and abuts against the adjacent peripheral regions of the outer skins of two adjoining panels. Thus, on tightening of a bolt 72, the bridge plate 68 is urged against the fixed inside face of the base portion 66 of the housing 62 and thereafter the bolt urges the clamping plate 74 against the panels 32 to press the arm portions 44 of the adjoining panels against the outer face of the member 8. Again sealing strips (not shown) may be provided between the members 8 and the abutting parts of the panels 32.

In certain instances it may be desirable or necessary for certain elongate members 8 or stiles to be removable from a frame, for example to give special access to an enclosure, and Figure 10 shows two perpendicular member 8 releasably interconnected by means of a T-plate 76. Clearly the upper end of the vertical member 8 would also be releasably attached to the associated transverse member by a similar T-plate.

Figure 8 shows part of an enclosure as described above but incorporating further refinements. The figure illustrates an outer enclosure enveloping a similar inner enclosure, the T-section reinforcing pieces 30 of the members 8 of the outer enclosure being cross-tied to combine strength with stability and thereby to eliminate the obstruction that would be caused by independent steelwork in the access space between the enclosures.

The lower edge of each panel may be provided with an upturned flange 78 whereby said edge of the panel is fully supported on the associated horizontal member 8 therebelow, said flange at the same time providing outward drainage for any water that may enter the panel.

In the roof frame shown in Figure 8, a curb 80 is provided on one elongate member 8, the adjacent panel 32 seating on said curb; the curb acts both as a watershed and as a stiffener for the associated apertures.

The provision of panels 32 constructed from inner and outer skins secured to one another by channelsection edge members 38 as described above enable the skins 34,36 to be supplied in all types of material and in a wide range of thicknesses incorporating the required fire resistance.

Clearly enclosures as described above have many applications, the preferred one being to contain noisy equipment, while the precise construction of an enclosure can differ in some respects from that detailed above. Such differences will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (9)

1. An enclosure comprising a plurality of side frames and a roof frame interconnected with one another in such a manner that the frames can determine independent levels relative to one another within controlled limits prior to being secured together to form a rigid framework, each frame including a plurality of rigid elongate members defining one or more apertures through the frame of predetermined dimensions for receiving therein associated panels of related dimensons, the enclosure further comprising a plurality of such panels, one for each aperture, each panel including substantially flat inner and outer skins spaced from one another, said outer skin having a peripheral edge portion projecting laterally beyond the edge portion of the inner skin, and each edge of a panel being of generally channel section, and a plurality of clamping means for reacting between the panels and the elongate members of the frame, the arrangement being such that, on location of a panel in an associated aperture in a frame, each edge of the panel embraces in part an adjacent elongate member of the frame with said peripheral portions of the outer skins of adjacent panels overlapping the associated elongate member, a plurality of said clamping means reacting between the channel section edges of each panel and the elongate members of the framework to retain the panels in the framework.

2. An enclosure as claimed in claim 1 in which each rigid elongate member is of hollow rectangular section and includes a reinforcing element secured thereto and extending along the length of the inner face thereof.

3. An enclosure as claimed in claim 2 in which the reinforcing element is of T-shape in transverse section.

4. An enclosure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the adjacent elongate members of adjoining frames each include thereon co-operating connection means permitting interconnection of said adjoining frames in such a manner that the frames can determine independent levels relative to one another within controlled limits.

5. An enclosure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which each panel includes a peripheral flange portion around the inner skin defining one side wall of the channel section of the edge of the panel, the peripheral edge portion around the outer skin forming part of a peripheral flange portion on said outer skin which defines the other, longer side wall of the channel section.

6. An enclosure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the volume of each panel bounded by the inner and outer skins and the base portions of the channel section edges of the panel is filled with acoustically insulating material.

7. An enclosure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which each clamping means comprises a clamping plate received within the channel sections of adjoining panels to extend between and abut the inner faces of the one side walls of said channel sections, said clamping plate including a threaded aperture therethrough, and, for each clamping means, a threaded bolt within the aperture the free end of which bolt engages the inner face of the associated elongate member embraced in part by said channel sections, the arrangement being such that, on tightening the bolt of a clamping means, the clamping plate is urged against the inner face of said one side wall of each associated channel section whereby the longer side walls of said channel sections are urged against the outer face of the elongate memberto secure the panels in the frame.

8. An enclosure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the clamping means each comprise a thrust plate mounted on, to be fixed relative to the outer face of, an elongate member, said plate including a threaded aperture through which extends a threaded bolt, and, for each clamping means, a clamping plate abutting the outer faces of the longer side walls of the channel sections of adjoining panels, the free end of the bolt engaging said clamping plate whereby, on tightening of the bolt, the longer side walls of the channel section of the adjoining panels are urged against the outer face of the associated elongate member to secure the panels to the frame.

9. An enclosure substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.