US3336854A - Roof ventilator - Google Patents

Description

22, 1967 H1 KNUTSON ET AL 3,336,354

ROOF VENTILATOR Filed July 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M39 39 fi/en/o zs' 22, 1967 H. KNUTSON' ET AL 3,336,854

ROOF VENTILATOR Filed July 26, 1965 2 SheetsSheet 2 (u n u J/i/efl 2 0129 fiarol'cz 70m 602 4 Haroia 6. 7( 22111519012 w WW6;

Patented Aug. 22, 1967 3,336,854 ROOF VENTILATOR Harold Knutson, 10022 S. Hoyne, Chicago, Ill.

and Harold G. Kuutson, P.O. 38301 60643, Box 1127, Jackson, Tenn.

Filed July 26, 1965, Ser. No. 474,875 6 Claims. (Cl. 98-42) cient outlet passage for discharging vapors. At all times the disposition of mission of birds their nests.

By this construction, thin webs of light sheet material may be used to form adequately braced units, and the component parts may be formed, partially assembled, with attachment holes located for quick and securely assembling and fastening the parts together with very simple tools, thus eliminating the necessity of expensive erection,

A large exhaust opening with a free outlet is thus provided with no obstruction except that regularly used as a closer. Single units may be combined in multiple either sidewise or endwise and applied to continuous roof openings. Although the inner flights, vanes or deflectors are disposed to divert any rain or dirt from the central exhaust opening to the sides where discharge openings may be provided.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a ventilator unit in accordance with the present invention intermediate the ends, and showing deflector vanes in their overlapping locations, and a damper in a closed position; I

FIG. 2 is a somewhat similar cross section showing transverse partitions and end flights for supporting the vanes, and the damper in open position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a ventilator unit, showing the locations and broken away assemblies of vanes therewith;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional View showing the supporting flights at the inside of one end and the side post supports for a starter and a multiple unit; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIG.

4 showing end and intermediate supports for the vanes. In a roof ventilator unit it is important not only that there is a free discharge opening for fumes and gases, but also that there is adequate protection to prevent wind, fumes and vapor from swirling into or otherwise entering the normal outlets of the units. An important manner of accomplishing this result is to form the units in relatively small, easily produced and fabricated sizes, with upright sides and ends; to have inclined vanes or deflectors extending lengthwise and preferably overlying, to avoid direct open paths and to divert entering rain and vapors; and to interpose transverse partitions to strengthen the vanes and the units, and also to eliminate any direct downward side paths from top to bottom by interposing effective stops at the inner sides of the unit.

parts must offer noopenings for the adand no protected portions for locating Referring now more particularly to the drawings, each ventilator unit preferably comprises a rectangular sheet metal shell with upright sides 10 and ends 11 connected by screws or rivets to a flat sheet metal base 12.

Each base 12 has an outer marginal downwardly turned flange 13, and a central opening 14 with upwardly turned flange 13, and a central opening 14 with upwardly turned flange sides 15 to fit upon the curb of a roof, or other discharge opening to which it is applied. This opening 14 usually extends from end to end of the unit, but extends only about one half of the distance to each side 11,

At the inner side of each end 11 are inclined flights in the transverse shape of angle bars to which sheet metal panels or webs are attached extending the full length of the unit: two flights 16 extend angularly downward from near the top of the center of each end, and a correspondingly but angular web or panel 17 is secured thereto and extends centrally over the base opening 14 but :does not cover it; a flight 18 extends downwardly from each up per corner of the end to the outer end of the adjacent flight 16, and to it is secured a sheet of screen 19. The two screens 19 and the intermediate'panel 17 are usually close to the top of the unit, and entirely fill it so that birds or debris do not get into the ventilator but do not prevent the passage of air or fumes; extending below each flight 16 at about the same angle and overlapped by it is a flight 20, with a panel 21 secured thereto having an upwardly and reversely flange upper edge 22 and a reverse downwardly extending flange 23 at the lower end forming a liquid dripping surface; and a short dripping surface; and a short flight 24 attached to the end 11 at an angle below the lowered end of each flight 20, with a longitudinal panel 25 at an angle below and underlapping the lower end of each panel 21, and extending above but at the outer edge of the adjacent side of opening 14. The upper edge of this panel 25 has a reversely bent flange 26 to engage rain and the like, and a downwardly extending flange 27 to provide a liquid dripping lip, extending outwardly from the opening 14 above its flange 15.

At spaced distances along the sides 10 and at the ends are supporting posts 28, the intermediate ones each secured at the upper portions to cross panels 29 lying between the screen 19 and a portion of the panel 21 below the screen lower portion of each intermediate cross panel 30 with its inner edge at right angles to the post 28 has a lower end at right angles to panel 25' and it is supplemented, braced and supported by a triangular cross panel 31 which is also secured to the top side of panel 25, and continues transversely in the same plane as the panel 25.

For easily connecting these sides, ends, posts, flights and panels they are correspondingly perforated; the flights and posts are usually angle bar sections, panel edges 32 are usually bent over at right angles with perforations therein, and fastening screws or bolts 33 are applied to the corresponding perforations or openings.

On top of the screen 19 at each side of the unit is a strengthening and deflector Z-bar 20a extending within the ventilator unit from one end 11 to the other and connected thereto by inwardly turned flanges and fastening bolts 33. These bars 20a do not extend above the upper edges of the sides 10 and ends 11, are preferably about midway of the upper and lower edges of the screens 19, and the lower edge of each bar is attached to the screen 19 and to the upper flanged edge of the cross panels 29 at the proper intervals.

Thus the bars 20a act both as strengtheners for the screens 19 and panels 29, but also as stops and deflectors for weather, wind, rain, smog and sleet, tending to arrest and prevent direct or angular currents of any of the weather manifestations from entering, or having a free unobstructed path into the ventilator.

To close the ventilator opening 14 in the base, a pair of vanes 34 are mounted on shafts 35 pivoted in corresponding openings in the flanges and the ends 11 on ball bearings '37, with a pivoted arm connection 36 between to operate them together. The edges of the vanes 34 have hooks 38 which engage over the opposite flanges 15 of the base openings 14 and opposite hooks 39 which engage each other, closing the opening.

For single complete units the supporting posts 28 may all be the same, and the shafts 35 may be supplied with a single operating crank 40 as in FIG. 3, but for multiple connection and operation, where the units may be closely spaced over continuous roof openings in end to end, or side to side positions, the ends of the shafts 35 of corresponding units may be connected by flanges, bolts or sleeves in any commonly known manner. And the lower ends of the posts 28 may have an offset foot 41, as shown in 'FIG. 4, to clear a lower water discharge opening 42 and an inwardly extending base hook 43 on one side 10 to provide an opening for receiving a corresponding outwardly extending hook 44 at the base end of an adjacent unit. And at its other end the two hooks 43 and 44 connect and draw the ventilator units closely together in side or end relations, and by connecting the shaft 35 of adjacent units they may be operated together.

With this construction, a driving wind storm, or rain, cannot enter the ventilator unit in an unobstructed manner; if it is straight down, rain for example, is deflected at the center by top panel 17 having its downward sides overlying the lower panels 21 and 25 successively discharging water from the lower flanges outwardly beyond the upright inner flange 15. If the path is at a lowering angle, wind, for example, and rain will first engage the Z-bar a at one side of the top panel 17; then being diverted and deflected will pass through the screen 19 against the intermediate panel 21, engaging its flanged up edge 22 upwardly and passing below its drip flange 27 downwardly, causing the lower divided path to engage the lower panel 25. The engagement of this panel causes a further division of the inward path to engage the upper reverse flange 26 and over the down flange 27 beyond the inner side flange 15.

Even though the vanes 34 are open there is no direct or unobstructed path directly from the open top of the ventilator to the roof opening 14, and no driving blast of air fumes, or rain can enter directly; on the other hand, whenever the vanes 34 are opened a discharging or ventilatin-g blast will pass upwardly through the opening 14, and attempting to expand and flow outwardly, will flow through the openings at the edges of the panels 21 and 25, and thence through a screen 19. If the ventilator is subjected to a blast from one side of the ventilator it may enter around the panels 17, 21 and 25 on one side causing any exhaust through the ventilator opening 14 to be more forcibly blown out around the edges of the panels 16, 21, and 25 at the other side.

If the fluid blast is endwise of the ventilator openings and panels, it will be modified or affected as above disclosed depending upon the exact direction, and also by the partitions 29, and 31 which extend partially across the unit at intervals for actually preventing or stopping the flow of air, fumes or liquids in that direction.

What we claim is:

1. In a roof ventilator, a rectangular hollow structure having side walls and ends, open at the top and a flat base at the bottom having a central upwardly flanged opening to fit over a roof curb; a central roof panel extending substantially parallel with the said bottom opening with the opposite sides inclined downwardly from the center; but the said roof panel being less in lateral extent than the opening, vadjacent panels below each lower edge of the central roof panel, each panel inclined at about the same inclination as that of the central roof panel above it; angle bar supporting flights for said roof panel and inclined panels on each side of the longitudinal center secured to the end walls in approximately parallel relations with each other to support the said central roof panel and the adjacent panels below it in separate and underlapping positions, said adjacent panels having an upper edge flange turned reversely and underlying the edge of the panel above, and a lower edge turned downwardly to form a drip flange, and the drip edge of the lowest flange overlying and extending outwardly beyond the adjacent edge of the upwardly flanged opening to fit over the roof curb; and liquid discharge means at the lower edge of each of said side walls.

2. In a roof ventilator in accordance with claim 1, a transverse partition extending from each upper inside side wall to the lower end of the central roof panel and downward therefrom, the lower edge resting upon and extending parallel with the next adjacent lower panel to the said side wall, and the upper edge of the partition extending from the lower edge of the said central roof panel to the outer inside wall of the ventilator adjacent the top thereof these partitions diverting and opposing endwise movement of air, rain and dirt in the ventilator.

3. 'In a roof ventilator in accordance with claim 2, a screen extending 0n the upper edge of said partition from each side edge of the central roof panel to the adjacent side of the ventilator near the top, the inclination being about the same as that of the opposite side of the central panel, and a supporting bar extending lengthwise on top of the screen and secured centrally thereto approximately at right angles to brace the screen and to extend upwardly below the structure top to provide a deflector for inward and downward flow of air, fumes and fluid into the ventilator.

4. In a roof ventilator in accordance with claim 2, a second transverse partition at each side of the center in alignment with and below the said first transverse partition, at the top abutting the lower edge of the transverse partition and at the bottom resting upon said base, the inside lower surface of the outer edge abutting the outer side wall, and the inner edge being substantially at right angles to the lower edge of the next adjacent longitudinal panel, the intermediate portion fitting within and abutting the outer edge of the next panel extending between the end-s and below the lower end of the panel to which the said first transverse partition is attached.

5. In a roof ventilator, a hollow rectangular structure having side and end walls open at the top and a connected base at the bottom with a central upwardly flanged opening to fit over a roof curb; a central roof panel less in width than the opening having sides inclined downwardly, a first panel spaced below and underlapping each of said sides and inclined downwardly in substantially parallel relation to the adjacent side of the central roof panel; a second panel also spaced below the lower edge of the first panel in substantially parallel relation thereto and the lower edge being outwardly beyond the said flanged opening; means forming a discharge opening at the lower edge of each side wall; and transverse partition at each side of the structure fitting between the side walls and the ends of the said panels; one partition section extending against the side edge of the roof panel and resting upon said first panel and extending to the upper portion of the side wall; and another partition section extending from the base to the first section against the side wall and fitting within the space between the side wall and the end of the second panel.

6. In a roof ventilator, a transverse partition comprising two sections at each side of the central roof panel 5 6 in accordance with claim 5, in combination with a tri- 2,784,660 3/1957 Johnson 98-42 angular transverse section seated on and secured to the 3,107,598 10/ 196 3 Rudy 98-42 said second panel and abutting the upper portion of the FOREIGN PATENTS second partition section, and in alignment with the first and second transverse partition sections. 722,349 1/1955 Great Britain,

5 810,250 3/1956 Great Britain.

References Cited 924,132 4/1963 Great Britain. UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. 2,404,961 7/1946 Hoch 98-42 2 410950 11 194 Knutson 9 42 10 W. E. WAYNER, ASSI SHZIZZ Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A ROOF VENTILATOR, A RECTANGULAR HOLLOW STRUCTURE HAVING SIDE WALLS AND ENDS, OPEN AT THE TOP AND A FLAT BASE AT THE BOTTOM HAVING A CENTRAL UPWARDLY FLANGED OPENING TO FIT OVER A ROOF CURB; A CENTRAL ROOF PANEL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE SAID BOTTOM OPENING WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDES INCLINED DOWNWARDLY FROM THE CENTER; BUT THE SAID ROOF PANEL BEING LESS IN LATERAL EXTENT THAN THE OPENING, ADJACENT PANELS BELOW EACH LOWER EDGE OF THE CENTRAL ROOF PANEL, EACH PANEL INCLINED AT ABOUT THE SAME INCLINATION AS THAT OF THE CENTRAL ROOF PANEL ABOVE IT; ANGLE BAR SUPPORTING FLIGHTS FOR SAID ROOF PANEL AND INCLINED PANELS ON EACH SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER SECURED TO THE END WALLS IN APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL RELATIONS WITH EACH OTHER TO SUPPORT THE SAID CENTRAL ROOF PANEL AND THE ADJACENT PANELS BELOW IT IN SEPARATE AND UNDERLAPPING POSITION, SAID ADJACENT PANELS HAVING AN UPPER EDGE FLANGE TURNED REVERSELY AND UNDERLYING THE EDGE OF THE PANEL ABOVE, AND A LOWER EDGE TURNED DOWNWARDLY TO FORM A DRIP FLANGE, AND THE DRIP EDGE OF THE LOWEST FLANGE OVERLYING AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE ADJACENT EDGE OF THE UPWARDLY FLANGED OPENING TO FIT OVER THE ROOF CURB; AND LIQUID DISCHARGE MEANS AT THE LOWER EDGE OF EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS.

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