GB2130702A - A balanced flue arrangement for two gas operated appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

A balanced flue arrangement (5) for use with two gas operated appliances, (1, 2) both of which have an air inlet (3) and an exhaust gas outlet (4). The flue arrangement (5) comprises a first ducting arrangement (6) comprising two pairs of ducts, one pair (7 and 8) of which are connectable at one end thereof to a respective one of the air inlets (9) of the appliances (1, 2), the other pair (9 and 10) of which are each connectable at one end thereof to a respective one of the exhaust gas outlets (4) of the appliances (1, 2). The other end of the ducts (7, 8, 9 and 10) of each pair both are arranged adjacent each other, and a second ducting arrangement (12) comprising two ducts (21, 24) in adjacent relationship, each being connected at one end to and continuous with the adjacent ends of a respective one of the two pairs of ducts (7, 8, 9 and 10) and each being open at the other end therefrom to permit, the intake of air and the venting of exhaust gas, respectively. There may be a telescopic connecting member (11) between first and second ducting (6, 12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A balanced flue arrangement for use with two gas operated appliances The present invention relates to a balanced flue arrangement for use with two gas operated appliances.

With the increase in single room dwellings, such as flatlets and bedsits, it has become increasingly more common to find two gas operated appliances, for example a gas heater or boiler and a gas cooker, in the same room. The appliances each require a flue through which exhaust gases can be safely vented and a supply of fresh air for the burners thereof, and these requirements are conveniently met using a balanced flue arrangement. However, using conventional balanced flue arrangements it is not possible to provide an exhaust gas outlet and a fresh air inlet for both appliances using a single balanced flue arrangement.As a result, it is necessary to provide a separate balanced flue arrangement for each appliance, and further, since balanced flue arrangements are normally positioned through an external wall of a building, so that the exhaust gases can be safely vented and a supply of fresh air is always available, an aperture must be provided in an external wall of the building for each balanced flue arrangement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a balanced flue arrangement for use with two gas operated appliances whereby fresh air may be supplied to, and exhaust gas vented from each appliance through a single duct air inlet/single duct exhaust gas outlet arrangement.

According to the present invention there is provided a balanced flue arrangement for use with two gas operated appliances, each having an air inlet and an exhaust gas outlet, comprising a first ducting arrangement having two pairs of ducts, the ducts of one pair being connectable at one end to respective ones of the air inlets of the appliances and the two ducts of the other pair being connectable at one end to respective ones of the exhaust gas outlets of the appliances, and the other ends therefrom of the ducts of each pair being arranged adjacent each other, and a second ducting arrangement comprising two ducts in adjacent relationship, each being connected at one end to the said adjacent ends of a respective one of the two pairs of ducts and each being open at the other end to permit respectively the intake of air and the venting of exhaust gas.

Preferably the second ducting arrangement comprises an inner box section conduit through which exhaust gases are ducted away from the appliances, located within an outer box section conduit through which, between the outer wall of the inner box section conduit and the inner wall of the outer box section conduit, air is ducted to the appliances.

Preferably the open ends of the two ducts comprising the second ducting arrangement are staggered with respect to one another to minimise the intake of exhaust gases into the air inlet duct from the exhaust gas outlet duct.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a schematic exploded view of a balanced flue arrangement according to the present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there are shown two conventional gas operated appliances 1 and 2, each comprising an air inlet 3, through which fresh air is conveyed to a gas burner of the appliance and an exhaust gas outlet 4 through which exhaust gases are vented from the appliance.

Both of the appliances 1 and 2 are connected to a balanced flue arrangement 5, according to the present invention, which comprises a ducting arrangement 6, having four ducts 7, 8, 9 and 10, an intermediate connecting member 11 and a single duct air inlet/single duct exhaust gas outlet arrangement 12.

The ducting arrangement 6 is comprised of two plates 1 3 and 14, each having formed therein four depressions 15, which, when the plates 1 3 and 14 are joined together form the ducts 7 to 10 of the ducting arrangement 6. Each of the ducts 7 to 10, of the ducting arrangement 6, is connected to a respective one of the air inlets 3 and the gas exhaust outlets 4 of the appliances 1 and 2, by means of apertures 1 6 provided in the depressions 1 5 in plate 1 3 and positioned so as to align with the air inlets 3 and exhaust gas outlets 4.In order to complete the ducts 7 to 10 cutouts 17 are provided in the depressions 1 5 in plate 14, corresponding to fresh air ducts 7 and 8, whilst box sectioned conduits 1 8 connect with and extend from the depressions 15 in plate 14, corresponding to exhaust gas ducts 9 and 10.

The intermediate connecting member 11 is secured to plate 14 by means of tabs 1 9 so as to encompass within its walls the cutouts 1 7 and the box section conduits 1 8. When the balanced flue assembly 5 is fuily assembled the interior of the connecting member 11 is isolated from the openings of the box section conduits 1 8. However, it does connect with fresh air duct 7 and 8 through the cutouts 1 7 to convey fresh air thereto. In order to ensure that the supply of fresh air conveyed through the connecting member 11 is divided evenly between the two fresh air ducts 7 and 8, a divider 20 is provided within the connecting member 11, secured to the flow thereof, and between the cutouts 17, to the plate 14.

The balanced flue arrangement 5 is completed by the single duct air inlet/single duct exhaust gas outlet arrangement 12. This comprises an inner box section conduit 21 which is divided into two passages by a plate 22, each of which passages slidably fits over the end of a respective one of the two box section conduits 1 8 and which extends to an exhaust gas outlet area 23, and an outer box section conduit 24 which slidably fits over the connecting member 11 and comprises fresh air inlets 25 around each of its sides. A plate 25 separates the exhaust gas outlet area 23 from the fresh air inlets 25. Furthermore, to ensure that fresh air and exhaust gases do not mix around the exhaust gas outlet area 23 and the fresh air inlets 25 of the arrangement the outlet area 23 is staggered beyond the inlets 25.

The provision of the slidable connections between the connecting member 11 and the channels 18, and the arrangement 12 affords a telescopic balanced flue arrangement easily adapted to the various thicknesses of wall on which the balanced flue arrangement may be mounted.

It will be appreciated that the connections between the ducts of the ducting arrangement 6 and the single duct air inlet/single duct exhaust gas outlet arrangement 1 2 are not limited to those shown in the accompanying drawing. For example, the box sectioned conduits 1 8 and the inner box section conduit 21 may be dispensed with and replaced by cutouts opening out from exhaust gas ducts 9 and 10 into a section of the connecting member 11 divided off from that connecting with the fresh air ducts 7 and 8.

It will further be appreciated that where a telescopic balanced flue arrangement is not required the connecting member 11 may be dispensed with and the air inlet/exhaust gas outlet arrangement 12 may be secured directly to the ducting arrangement 6.

Claims (6)

1. A balanced flue arrangement for use with two gas operated appliances, both of which have an air inlet and an exhaust gas outlet, comprising a first ducting arrangement comprising two pairs of ducts, one pair of which are each connectable at one end thereof to a respective one of the air inlets of the appliances, the other pair of which are each connectable at one end thereof to a respective one of the exhaust gas outlets of the appliances, and the other ends thereof of the ducts of each pair both being arranged adjacent each other, and a second ducting arrangement comprising two ducts in adjacent relationship, each being connected at one end to and continuous with the adjacent ends of a respective one of the two pairs of ducts and each being open at the other end therefrom to permit, the intake of air and the venting of exhaust gas, respectively.

2. A balanced flue arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second ducting arrangement comprises an inner box section duct through which exhaust gases are ducted away from the appliances, located within an outer box section duct through which, between the outer wall of the inner box section duct and the inner wall of the outer box section duct, air is ducted to the appliances.

3. A balanced flue arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the inner and outer box section ducts, which comprise the second ducting arrangement, are both divided into two passageways which extend to the gas exhaust and the air intake openings, respectively, and which each connect to the said other end of a respective one of the ducts of the first ducting arrangement.

4. A balanced flue arrangement according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the inner and outer box section ducts which comprise the second ducting arrangement each comprise relatively slidable sleeves so that the length of the second ducting arrangement can be varied.

5. A balanced flue arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the open ends of the two ducts which comprise the second ducting arrangement are staggered with respect to one another to minimise the intake of exhaust gases into the air inlet duct from the exhaust gas outlet duct.

6. A balanced flue arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.