US2100801A - Air-flow ventilator - Google Patents

Description

M. GREEN Nov. 30, 1937.

AIRFLOW VENTILATOR Filed Feb. 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 30, 1937. B. M. GREEN AIR FLOW VENTILATOR Fil ed Feb. 28, 1935 4 Shegts-Sheet 2 Nov. 30, 1937. 5. Ml GREEN AIR FLOW VENTILATCR Filed Feb. 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Buria 11 Green 0 Nov. 30, 1937. w B; M. GREEN AIR FLOW ,VENTILATOR Filed Feb. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Barlow]! 'i een Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR-FLOW VENTILATOR Burton M. Green, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 28, 1935, Serial No. 8,744

ticularly to a structure intended and adapted for use upon steamships, motor ships and other vessels, to ventilate ships holds and other spaces and compartments, upon residences, warehouses, barns, or other buildings, upon moving cars or vehicles, and in fact in any connection where it is desired to accomplish the supply or exhaust of air to thus secure circulation or insure ventilation or" a room, hold, building or any other compartment or space.

The primary object of my invention is to provide structure, taking advantage of directed air flow forces, adaptable for use with an intake ventilator for supplying a flow of outside airdownwardly through a ventilation tube, or stack or the like, or as an exhaust ventilator for inducing a flow of air outwardly through the ventilation .tube, or stack or the like, from a space or compartment to be ventilated.

Another object is to provide, with a tubular stack portion, air flow directing vane structure adjacent to the open end of the stack to catch transversely moving air currents and change the direction of movement thereof to cause the currents to flow substantially parallel with the axis of the stack, and accomplishing such air flow directional change without the use of any moving parts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character that will operate by I the slightest movement of the atmospheric or surrounding air, either natural movement as the wind, or induced movement, and which will ac complish a positive and forceful movement of air currents in either supply or exhaust, to thus secure ventilation or circulation as may be desired.

A still further object is to provide a ventilator structure that can be attached or applied to or used with an ordinary shaft,'stack, pipe, or other ventilator tube, or can be directly mounted upon a deck, roof, or other covering to have a passage in communication with a hold, room, or other compartment or space, and which does not require either initial or operating application of external power to accomplish operation thereof, the functioning of the parts resulting entirely from movement of the atmospheric or surrounding air, and only slight movement being sufiicient for efficient operation. g

A further object is to so constructthe part that free and unobstructed movement of air currents, to accomplish ventilation by either injection or exhaust movement of air is permitted, and at the same time an efiective shield and guard'is interposed to prevent ingress of water, cinders or burning embers, burning cigarettes, and in fact substantially any and all matter heavier than air.

Still another purpose is to provide a valve or closure structure that can be readily operated, either manually or by the use of gearing or other actuating elements, and which thus permits ready and easy opening and closing of the ventilation passage, and with which the size of the passage and consequently the flow of air either supplied or exhausted can be controlled and minutely regulated with greatest efliciency.

Yet another object and purpose of my invention is to obviate the necessity for manual or mechanical adjustment of the ventilator, as my present structure will function with uniform facility and efflciency irrespective of the direction of flow of the external air currents; in view of which, it is not necessary to make adjustments to face the ventilator into the wind, from the wind, or otherwise, as is now required with the horn or hell or cowl ventilators as commonly used on shipboard and in other like connections.

Yet a further object is to so construct the parts that counter currents, eddies, and other counter influences cannot react to disturb eficient functioning of the parts, and that the ventilator will function efiiciently irrespective of the directional movement and the force and velocity of the initial air currents, the air flow forces resulting from the structural features serving to accomplish a continuous flow of air in either the intake or exhaust adaptations.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, my invention includes certain novel features of con struction and combinations, arrangements and associations of parts, which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in side-elevation showing an air flow ventilator of the intake or supply type constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the structure shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line t 4i of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view showing an exhaust embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the adaptation illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View on line l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view to better illustrate one of the vane or louvre rings.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken.

transversely through one of the vanes adjacent to the large end of the vane carrying member.

Fig. 10 is a similar view through the vane adiacent to the smaller end of the vane carrying tor. the parts are illustrated as associated with member.

Where open cowl ventilators are used on shipboard, or in other like connections, under even most favorable conditions and proper trimming and attention, present structures are ineillcient to meet the requirements, especially for cargoes exuding excessive moisture such as jute, rice, grain, lumber and the like, for fruits and vegetables which require controlled humidity and temperature, and for other conditions and cargoes of perishable character or that are likely to be damaged or to deteriorate without constant controlled ventilation. When the usual cowl or horn or bell ventilators are employed, counter air currents set up by adjacent superstructures, bulkheads, houses, stacks, or other parts and structures, and by the motion of the vessel, will often cause back drafts or other adverse air currents, and there is then no alternative but to trim or adjust the ventilator to thebest advantage during favorable weather and trust that suificient ventilation may be accomplished.

With spray coming over the decks, and with the-slightest precipitation of moisture, all ventilators of the above types must be trimmed back to wind, and if the precipitation or spray becomes at all heavy, all ventilator cowls," especially on forward and windward sides must be closed with canvas covers, or the ventilation tubes or stacks must be otherwise closed to exclude moisture, thus completely shutting oil all possible ventilation, either for supply or exhaust circulation. When ventilation is shut off for any length of time in tropical regions, or where the air is highly humid, mildew, mold, rot and deterioration will set in and considerable damage will result.

While I have referred particularly to ventilation on shipboard, it is equally true that where unobstructed openings are provided upon a car or other vehicle, in a warehouse or other building, or in fact in communication with any space or compartment, the slightest moisture will require closing of the opening to prevent damage to materials within the space or compartment; and, at

the same time, open cowls and other open ventilation passages greatly increase fire hazards clue to the likelihood of ingress of burning embers, cinders, lighted cigarettes thrown from decks, and other matter that might directly transmit fire.

With the above in mind, it is the primary purpose of my invention to provide an air flow ventilator structure that will function through slightest movement of the surrounding air, or through movement of the ventilator structure with respect tothe surrounding air; and, which will catch transversely moving air currents and change the direction of movement thereof to cause the currents to flow in directed lines with respect to a ventilation opening, to thus create forced circulation of air for supply and exhaust air flow ventilation.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 I have illustrated embodiment of my invention in a ventilator structure adapted to supply ventilating air under pressure; and, in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 I have illustrated an adaptation suitable for use as a suction or exhaust ventilator. As the description progresses it will be seen and appreciated that the construction of the parts, and the functioning to accomplish air flow ventilation, is quite similar for use on either the intake or exhaust ventilator adaptations.

With the intake or air supply type of ventilaand carried by a ventilator shaft, stack, pipe, or other ventilator tube I, which can be mounted in any desired manner and connected to be in communication with a compartment or other space to which air is to be supplied. A vane carrying member 2, in the form of a frustrum, and preferably of frustro-conical shape, is preferably made of sheet metal or other suitable material that will be of light weight and will yet give suflicient strength to withstand forces and shocks of ordinary use. In the present instance I have shown this member 2 as made with a hollow wall 3 and a head portion 4 at the larger end, and the side wall of the frustrum is made concave from the larger end 5 to the smaller end 6. The head portion-4 is provided with a central opening to receive the stack or column or pipe I, and a tower or'other suitable support I is provided to hold the member 2 in substantially the location as shown, so that the smaller end i terminates slightly below the open top end 8 of the stack I.

' The member 2 has its frustrum'wall 3 concaved in such manner as to terminate and merge, at the smaller end, substantially tangentially into a line approximating the outerwall of the stack I. As the member 2 remains stationary or fixed upon the stack I, it may be found desirable and necessary to provide fastenings', such as bolts, screws or the like, to secure the member 2 against rotational movement or shifting upon .the shaft I. One possible form of such fastening is illustrated at 9, in Fig. 2.

On the outer side of the frustrum wall 3, I provide a plurality of air deflecting vanes I0, and these vanes are perhaps preferably all of substantially the same general form and are mounted to follow or describe helical courses around the concave wall 3. Each vane I0 is preferably made somewhat flat and is disposed to extend substantially radially with respect to the frustrum form, adjacent to the larger end thereof, as is shown in Fig. 9, and the vane is curved or rolled over and is gradually involuted, as it recedes and approaches the smaller end of the frustrum, the vanes toward the smaller end being thus rolled over or shaped to provide a distinct substantially right-angularly extending turned flange, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 10. Each vane I0 is formed to provide a pocket or flange gradually increasing in height as the vane recedes from the larger end of the frustrum spirally toward the smaller end, and thus each vane is gradually and continuously given greater involution toward the smaller end of the frustrum, which is in eifect the air flow discharge end, and lateral air currents contacting with the frustrum surface will be directed against the flatter portion of each vane I 0 adjacent to the larger end and will be deflected on the frustrum concave surface along each inflected air vane and carried to discharge from the sharply involuted portion of the vane adjacent to the smaller end of the frustrum. In this manner, substantially horizontally moving air forces are diverted at an angle upwardly and rearwardly, with a twisting and receding travel to be discharged in lines sub stantially parallel with the axis of the stack I.

It has been found that air forces moving in a horizontal plane, when diverted by vanes I0 disposed at an angle of substantially forty five degrees double their force of movement with increasing velocity, and due to the proportion of the surface of the concave frustrum and the width of the air vanes spaced upon its surface a strong current and force of air is directed substantially concentrically around the open end '8 of the shaft I.

As it is desired to inject or introduce this air into the open end 8 of the stack, I provide a hood I I on the upper end of the stack I to confine the air as accumulated by and directed from the frustrum. This hood II has the top I2 thereof provided with an opening sufliciently large to give free and complete access to the open end 8 of the stack, and to the interior of the hood II, and a closure plate I3 is provided to be bolted, or otherwise removably secured over the opening in the top I2. The side wall of thehood II is preferably of substantially angular form and diagonally disposed brackets I4 are provided to mount the hood substantially concentrically around the open top end 8 of the stack I. A bottom wall I5 is provided to close the hood II on itslower side, and this bottom wall I5 is stopped at its inner edge to be somewhat spaced from the adjacent wall of the stack I, to thus provide an annular air intake or supply passage I6 concentrically around the stack I and directly in line with the flow path of air discharged from the vanes II).

A deflector ring I1 is carried around the stack I adjacent to the smaller end of the frustrum 2, to substantially fill across the annular air intake .space at I6, and as is shown in Fig. 8, this ring has outer and inner walls I8 and I9 disposed in concentric arrangement, with the deflector vanes or louvres 20 mounted between these ring portions I8 and I9 and disposed diagonally and angularly with respect to the axis of the rings I8 and III. This deflector ring structure, being disposed posed vanes or louvres 26 are so arranged that direct access of water, cinders, burning embers, and in fact substantially any material or matter heavier than air is guarded against and is substantially precluded. To further guard against the possibility of water, as from the wash of spray or waves when the ventilator is used on a vessel, finding its way into the open end 8 of the stack I, it may be found desirable to provide an outstanding flange 2| around the open upper end 8 of the'stack, and thus any particles of water or other matter that may inadvertently pass through the deflecting ring structure I] will be positively precluded direct access to the open end 8 of the stack, and will be deflected downwardly toward the bottom I5 of the hood.

As moisture may collect within the hood II, from condensation or from other causes, it is perhaps preferable that the bottom wall I5 be inclined downwardly in substantially the form of the frustrum of a flat cone, from the annular opening I 6 to the side wall II, and then any moisture that may collect will be drained downwardly and outwardly away from the intake or air supply opening at I6, and will be eventually discharged through drain holes 22.

The hood II is made of suflicient height to provide an air collecting chamber above the open end 8 of the stack I, and the diagonal inclination and disposition of the mounting brackets I4 will further insure upward travel of the injected air coming through the annular opening or passage I6, so that this air will be directed upwardly to accumulate within the top of the hood and will then be forced, under considerable pressure,

downwardly through'the open top end -6 of the stack I.

The closure plate I3 has an internally threaded plate or bracket 23 mounted preferably substantially axially above or in line with the stack I, and a threaded shaft 24 fitted through the threaded opening of this plate 23 carried a valve or closure member 25 at its inner end adapted to be moved toward and from the open end 8 of the stack I, as the threaded rod 24 is manipulated through the medium of hand-wheel 26, through gearing or through any other actuating mechanism or arrangement. The valve or closure member 25 can be tightened down to completely close the opening 8, and can be adjusted to give any desired clearance or separation from the opening to thus regulate and vary the amount of air permitted to pass through the open end 8 and consequently to flow through the stack I.

This improved intake or air supply air flow ventilator structure can be fitted upon or associated with any stack, pipe, or other member, and the horizontal forces of air resulting from natural movements and air currents, or from movement of a vessel or vehicle on which the ventilator is carried, will be accumulated and directed by the structure no matter from what direction the forces may approach or originate. As the frustrum'carries the vanes on all parts of its surface, and all portions of the frustrum are thus rendered equally effective, it is never necessary .to take into account the direction from which the horizontal air currents strike the ventilaton and no adjustments or manual attention or manipulation will be required in any way or for any Dur- .pose. As the horizontal forces strike on one side of the frustrum they are accumulated by the vanes and carried in receding and upwardly directed helical courses to be discharged around a considerable portion of the annular intake opening I6, and the deflector ring I 'I will positively preclude the entrance of water, burning embers, or other material or matter substantially heavier than air. At the same time, this deflector ring structure II guards against outflow of air and aids in accomplishment of a forceful ventilating stream of intake air flow through the open end 8 and downwardly through the" stack I.

It has been found that the vanes Ill are ad-, vantageously set or disposed at substantially a forty-five degree angle, and the vanes of the deflector ring or intake collar I1 are perhaps advantageously set at a flfty degree angle, the diagonally disposed hood mounting brackets M being also perhaps preferably of angular disposition substantially corresponding to the disposition of'the vanes or louvres of the ring II.

With this construction, the vanes or louvres of the deflector ring or intake collar I'I direct the inflow-air upwardly into the hood II, and retain the air inside of the hood. This causes continuous up pressure of inflowing air currents around the stack I within the hood, and the side walls and the top confine this air under pressure to be directed under pressure through the open end 8 and through the stack I.

With the exhaust ventilator adaptation, the parts and effective structures are somewhat similar, but the association and assembly must be varied to accomplish suction forced within the exhaust stack 21 to draw airupwardly and outwardly through the open top 28 thereof. The vane carrying member 29, having its frustrum wall substantially similar to the wall of the member 2, and having vanes 30 thereon, similar to-vanes I0, is mounted around the open upper end 28 of the stack 21. The outer wall orshell portion 3| of the vane carrying member 29 is made at its smaller end of sufflcient size to provide an air exhaust space between this wall 3| and the wall of the stack 21, and mounting brackets 32 are provided to support and carry this wall 3| around the stack 21 so that the exhaust opening 33 is of substantially annular form. The upper larger end of the frustrum vane carrying member 29 has a top closure portion 34 provided with a central opening to give access to the interior, and a cover plate 35 is bolted or otherwise removabiy securedin place to close this opening. Bearing or mounting plate 36 has an internally screw threaded opening to receive the threaded shaft 31 by which the valve or closure member 38 is carried, and a hand wheel 39, or other suitable actuating means, can be provided for manipulation of this threaded shaft 31 to open and close and to regulate the position of the closure member 38.

With this adaptation, the horizontally moving air currents striking the concaved outer wall of the frustrum from any direction will be caught by the vanes 30 on the wall thereof and will be directed with an air flow movement downwardly and rearwardly to obtain increased velocity and guard against ingress of water, burning embers,

or other material or matter.

While the structure as above set forth will function to direct initially horizontally flowing air currents to discharge downwardly and substantially concentrically around the air exhaust passage 33, and a siphonic action will be accomplished to draw air from a ship hold or other compartment or space upwardly through the stack 21 and then discharge this air through the passage 33, the exhaust force of the air flow .air currents can be increased by maintaining the directional movement thereof. With this in mind, I provide around the lower end of the vane carrying member 29, a deflector rim 42 which has a plurality of substantially radially extending vanes 43 therein. This deflector rim is of sufficient diameter to encompass the discharge ends of the vanes 30, and also the deflector ring structure 40, and consequently the air flow air currents and the exhaust air currents will be directed to simultaneously flow in lines substantially parallel with the axis of the stack.

The deflector rim 42 can have its outer wall 44 made of substantially frustrum form and also concaved, somewhat similar to the formation of the frustrum wall of the vane carrying member 29, and thus horizontally moving air currents striking this wall 44 of the deflector rim 42 will be deflected downwardly and creation of counter eddies and dead air spaces within the discharge area will be precluded.

In the present instance I have shown a collar 45 on the shaft, stack, tube or other member 21 in substantially concentric arrangement serving to support the parts in the desired association and assembly and position for use, but it is to be understood that other means might be employed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a concave frustrum to be associated with a stack or other member used for intake or exhaust ventilation, which frustrum has inflected vanes and other appurtenances to facilitate the natural flow of air to effect internal pressure Within the stack or shaft, thus causing inflow or exhaust currents, depending upon the particular mounting and assembly of the vane carrying frustrum. Also, it will be seen that this ventilator is fireproof against sparks, cinders, buming embers or the like, from smoke stacks, galley stacks and other sources, and against burning cigarettes or the like thrown from decks; that the ventilator is water proof against rain and variable rain squalls, heavy sprays and heavy seas which frequently necessitate unshipping, or covering or closing ventilator cowls, which often require attention at night with present types of ventilators and involve precarious undertaking in exposing men to injury from falling from or striking against ventilator cowls moving in a heavy sea; which require no trimming or adjustment or canvas or other covers; and, which ventilator structures, both intake and exhaust, can be readily closed and opened for regulating ventilation and will save considerable time with increased efficiency, when being opened and closed for fumigation of the compartments of a vessel, or for other purposes.

While I have herein shown and described only certain embodiments and adaptations, and have set forth only certain possible uses of both the intake and the exhaust ventilators, it will be appreciated that many changes can be made in the form, construction, arrangement, assembly, use, association and adaptation of the parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. An air flow ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, vanes carried around the outside of the stack adjacent to the open end thereof and formed to catch transversely moving air currents and change the direction of movement thereof to cause the currents to flow substantiaily parallel with the axis of the stack, and deflector vanes disposed in a path of direct communication to the open end of the stack.

2. An air flow ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, vanes carried around the outside of the stack adjacent to the open end thereof and formed to catch transversely moving air currents and change the direction of movement thereof to cause the currents to flow substantially parallel with the axis of the stack, deflector vanes disposed in line with the air flow discharge from the first mentioned vanes, and a hood to confine the air as discharged.

3. A ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, a frustro-conical member carried adjacent to the open end of said stack and having substantially helically disposed vanes on its outer surface to direct air currents to cause circulation of air through the open end of the stack, and louvre vane structure disposed in the air flow path communicating with the open end of the stack to guard against ingress of water and fire and the like.

4. A ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, a frustro-conical member carried adiaof air through the open end of the stack, a hood to accumulate the air supplied from the vanes to direct the same to flow under pressure through the open end of the stack, and means to close the open end of the stack and adjustable to vary the degree of opening.

6. A ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, a frustro-conical member carried adjacent to the open end of said stack and having substantially helically disposed vanes on its outer surface to direct air currents to cause circulation of air through the open end of the stack, a closure for the upper end of the member, said member being spaced sufliciently from the stack to provide air discharge clearance, and the air currents as directed by the vanes serving to create suctional forces through the air discharge space to thus set up air exhaustive currents through the open end of the stack, and means to close the open end of the stack and adjustable to vary the degree of opening.

7. A ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack having its upper end open, a substantially frustroconical member carried around the open end of the stack and having the small end thereof disposed upwardly, a plurality of helically extending vanes carried on the outer face of the frustrum to catch laterally moving air currents and direct the same to discharge at the small end of the frustrum, hood structure enclosing the discharge end of the frustrum and the open end of the stack, and deflecting vane members interposed in the path of movement of the air as discharged from the vanes on the frustrum member.

8. A ventilator comprising, with an upstanding tubular stack having its upper end open, a frustro-conical shell member carried in spaced and substantially concentric arrangement around the upper end of the stack with the large end of the frustrum disposed upwardly, said frustrum being closed at its upper end and being spaced from the stack at its lower end sufiiciently to provide an air discharge passage, a plurality of helically disposed vanes on the outer surface of the frustrum member disposed and formed to catch laterally moving air currents and direct the same to flow downwardly around the air exhaust space between the stack and the frustrum to thus create suction forces to draw air from the open end of the stack, and deflector vane structure interposed to close direct access from the outside to the open end of the stack and yet permit free exhaust movement of air therefrom.

9. A ventilator comprising, with an upstanding tubular stack having its upper end open, a frustro-conical shell member carried in spaced and substantially concentric arrangement around the upper end of the stack with the large end of the frustrum disposed upwardly, saidfrustrum being closed at its upper end and being spaced from the stack at its lower end sufficiently to provide an air discharge passage, aplurality of helically disposed vanes on the outer surface of the frustrum member disposed and formed to catch laterally moving air'currents and direct the same to flow downwardly around the air exhaust space between the stack and the frustrum to thus create suction forces to draw air from the open end of the stack, vane means to direct the flow of air as discharged from the helical vanes on the frustrum, and means carried by the top of the frustrum to close and to vary the size of opening of the open end of the stack.

10. A ventilator of the type in which ventilating air currents are induced by external air currents without the use of moving parts comprising,

ing air currents are induced by external air currents without the use of moving parts comprising, a substantially conical member having a plural- -ity of spaced vanes extending generally spirally around its outer surface and projecting therefrom, each vane being curved in cross section with the conc'ave side toward the narrower end of the flared member and having its cross sectional curvature decreased along the length of the vane away from the end, and a hood structure around the narrower end of the flared member into which air currents directed by the vanes are discharged.

12. A ventilator of the type in which ventilating air currents are induced by external air currents without the use of moving parts comprising, a substantially conical member having a plurality of spaced vanes extending generally spirally around its outer surface and projecting therefrom, each vane being curved in cross section with the concave side toward the narrower end of the flared member and having its curvature decreased along the length of the vane away from the end, and deflector vanes disposed in the path of air currents directed from said vanes.

13. An air flow ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, a substantially frustro-conic'al member carried around the open end of the stack, and a plurality of spaced vanes extending generally spirally around the outer surface of said member and projecting therefrom, each'rane being curved in cross section with the concave side toward the narrower end of the flared member and having its cross sectional curvature decreased along the length of the vane away from that end.

14. An air flow ventilator comprising, with a tubular stack, a substantially frustro-conical member carried around the open end of the stack, a plurality of spaced vanes extending generally spirally around the outer surface of said member and projecting therefrom, each vane being curved in cross section with the concave side toward the narrower end of the flared member and having its curvature decreased along the length of the vane away from that end, and deflector vanes disposed in the path of air currents discharged from said concave spirally disposed vanes.

BURTON M. GREEN.

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