GB2297828A

GB2297828A - Wall-mounting means for radiator

Info

Publication number: GB2297828A
Application number: GB9601391A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Redinando Antonino Franchitti
Original assignee: FRANCHITTI FERDINANDO ANTONINO
Current assignee: FRANCHITTI FERDINANDO ANTONINO
Priority date: 1995-02-08
Filing date: 1996-01-24
Publication date: 1996-08-14
Also published as: GB9601391D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a heating assembly and an installation means therefor, in which a standard central heating radiator (30) provided with conventional fittings (34) for convenience, is secured to a bracket portion (4) pivotally mounted (at 6) to a fixed bracket portion (2) for ease of tilting the bracket portion (4) outwardly from a wall (26) on release of a latch (10). The supply of heated water to the radiator (30) is through flexible pipe portions (38) so permitting the radiator to partake of a pivotal movement. Excess movement is restrained by a sliding rod or strut (16). The invention permits access to the wall area behind the radiator (30), for example for re-decoration purposes.

Description

WALL-MOUNTING MEANS FOR RADIATOR The invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to wall mounting means for a radiator forming part of a central-heating system.

In the installation of a central heating system in which a heated fluid is circulated through pipes linking a plurality of radiators, the individual radiators are conventionally secured to a wall by means of screws or bolts fastening to a bracket. It is therefore inconvenient to obtain access to the area of the wall surface behind the radiator for example for purposes of re-decoration of the same or for retrieval of an article which has slipped down between the radiator and the wall.

Several solutions have been suggested but none appears to have been completely successful. Most solutions involve the use of a hot water connection between the radiator inlet and outlet and the supply pipe which permits pivotal movement of the radiator about a horizontal axis passing through the connections.

Such connections are prone to failure and consequent leakage of the heated water. Whatever type of connection is used there is additional expenditure involved in the radiators themselves because of the fixing of the radiators to non-standard wall fitments.

The invention provides an installation means for use with a conventional central heating radiator of the kind adapted to be filled with heating fluid through an inlet and an outlet and provided with fitting means for wall mounting, said installation means comprising a wall mountable fixing bracket having a first bracket portion to be secured to a wall surface, pivot means arranged at or near a bottom portion of the first bracket portion to permit pivotal movement about a horizontal axis of a second bracket portion relative thereto, said second bracket portion being provided with engagement devices adapted securely to receive said fitting means provided upon the rear surface of said standard radiator, said installation means further comprising hingeable elements adapted to be connected to said inlet and outlet of the radiator.

Preferably said hingeable elements may comprise flexible supply pipe portions.

The invention further provides a heating assembly comprising a central heating radiator having an inlet and an outlet, flexible supply pipe portions adapted to be attached to said radiator inlet and outlet respectively to provide heating fluid to the interior of said radiator and to permit the radiator to partake of a hingeing movement, and a wall mountable fixing bracket assembly comprising a first bracket portion to be secured to a wall surface, pivot means arranged at or near a bottom portion of said fixing bracket assembly to permit pivotal movement of the radiator about a horizontal axis, said radiator being secured upon a second bracket portion pivotable about said pivot means so as to allow said second bracket portion to tilt forwardly with respect to the first bracket portion, said second bracket portion being provided with engagement devices securely receiving fitting means provided upon said radiator.

Advantageously, the fitting means provided upon the rear surface of said radiator may be conventional fitting means adapted in normal use to engage a static wall bracket. It will therefore be appreciated that, in the use of the present invention, the convenience of forward tilting radiators may be achieved without modifying the conventional manufacturing methods associated with the production of radiators.

There will now be described an example of a heating assembly and an installation means according to the invention. It will be understood that the description, which is to be read with reference to the drawings is given by way of example only and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a side view of a wall mountable fixing bracket of an installation means according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the bracket of Figure 1 in an open, tilted, condition; Figure 3 shows the bracket of Figure 1 in a heating assembly including a radiator; and Figure 4 shows the heating assembly of Figure 3 having the bracket and the radiator thereon in the tilted condition.

The fixing bracket as shown in Figure comprises a first bracket portion 2 and a second bracket portion 4 pivotally secured to the first bracket at the lower end thereof by means of a hinge pin 6 passing through the lower end of the bracket 4 and a support member 8 projecting from the lower end of the bracket 2. At the upper end of the bracket 2 there is provided a latch 10 which is adapted to be engaged around an projection 12 provided at the upper end of the bracket 4.

Two cut-out portions 14 are provided in the bracket portion 4 for reasons that will be explained below. A rod or strut 16 is provided, one end of which is pivotally mounted at 18 on the bracket 4 and the opposite end of which is formed into a hook or loop 20 and is slidably received in a vertical slot 22 formed in the bracket 2. Thus, when the second bracket portion is caused to tilt forward (to the left as viewed in the Figures), the rod hook 20 slides down the slot 22 and the rod 16 restrains the bracket at a pre-determined angle, for example 250, from the vertical.

Figure 3 shows the bracket portion 4 secured by fasteners 24 to a wall 26. The lower fasteners 24 are received in lugs 28 formed on the support member 8. A radiator 30 is shown secured to the bracket portion 4, in an upright position in Figure 3 and in a forwardly tilted position in Figure 4. The radiator 30 is provided with conventional mounting flanges 32 to which are secured mounting devices 34 adapted to enter the cut-out portions 14 of the bracket portion 2 and be fixed therein in exactly the same way as a radiator is conventionally secured to a static wall-mounted bracket mounting. Thus, no adaptation or modification is required to a standard radiator when used according to the present invention.

The radiator 30 is provided with inlet and an outlet connections 36 (only one shown) which are each attached by a water-tight union to a flexible supply pipe 38. When the latch 10 is released and the radiator and the bracket portion 4 are tilted forward, the flexible pipe 38 will be deformed to allow the desired hingeing action to take place. The skilled fitter will position the bracket portion 2 on the wall so that the hinge pin 6 of the bracket portion 4 is positioned to avoid the pipe 38 being excessively distorted, thus minimising wear.

If desired, a supporting foot member 40 may be provided (shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 4), which is secured to the lower portion of the bracket 2 to give added stability when the radiator 30 is in the tilted condition. A further modification which may be added is the provision of a radiator shelf 42 of suitable heat-resisting material secured for example to the upper end of the flange 32 by a spring-clip fastening or other suitable means. The wall 26 is thus cleared of items that may become damaged by the processes of re-decoration of the wall surface, only the bracket portion 2 remaining in place.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An installation means for use with a conventional central heating radiator of the kind adapted to be filled with heating fluid through an inlet and an outlet and provided with fitting means for wall mounting, said installation means comprising a wall mountable fixing bracket having a first bracket portion to be secured to a wall surface, pivot means arranged at or near a bottom portion of the first bracket portion to permit pivotal movement about a horizontal axis of a second bracket portion relative thereto, said second bracket portion being provided with engagement devices adapted securely to receive said fitting means provided upon the rear surface of said standard radiator, said installation means further comprising hingeable elements adapted to be connected to said inlet and outlet of the radiator.

2. An installation means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hingeable elements comprise flexible pipe portions.

3. An installation means as claimed either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein a rod or strut is provided to limit the angle by which said second bracket portion is able to move pivotally outwards with respect to said first bracket portion.

4. An installation means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second bracket portion is restrained from pivotal movement outwardly of said first bracket portion by means of a latch device.

5. An installation means as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first bracket portion is adapted to be secured to a wall surface and is further provided with a foot member adapted to engage a floor surface adjacent to said wall surface.

6. A heating assembly comprising a central heating radiator having an inlet and an outlet, flexible supply pipe portions adapted to be attached to said radiator inlet and outlet respectively to provide heating fluid to the interior of said radiator and to permit the radiator to partake of a hingeing movement, and a wall mountable fixing bracket assembly comprising a first bracket portion to be secured to a wall surface, pivot means arranged at or near a bottom portion of said fixing bracket assembly to permit pivotal movement of the radiator about a horizontal axis, said radiator being secured upon a second bracket portion pivotable about said pivot means so as to allow said second bracket portion to tilt forwardly with respect to the first bracket portion, said second bracket portion being provided with engagement devices securely receiving fitting means provided upon said radiator.

7. A heating assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said fitting means provided upon the rear surface of said radiator are conventional fitting means, and said second bracket portion is provided with co-operating fitting means corresponding to fitting means on a conventional static bracket.

8. An installation means constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as shown in the drawings.

9. A heating assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference and as shown in the drawings.