Improvements in ventilators

Description

[0001] The present invention comprises improvements in ventilators and concerns controllable, fire ventilators which are required to open automatically in response to a fire condition, to vent heat, smoke and/or gases from a building, and to provide selectable day-to-day ventilation upon the operation of suitable controls.

[0002] Such ventilators customarily employ opening means such as a spring or springs, or weights, normally urging the ventilator to open, and releasable retention means releasable in response to the onset of a fire condition, and normally holding the ventilator closed. In this manner, it is ensured that the ventilator opens automatically in an emergency, i.e. when it is required to act as a fire ventilator. To enable the ventilator to be selectively controlled for day-to-day ventilation purposes, the retention means is most conveniently incorporated into the day-to-day ventilator controls and conventionally takes the form of a fusible link which parts at a predetermined elevated temperature to sever the controls and allow the ventilator to open under the action of its opening spring or springs or its opening weight.

[0003] In use of a ventilator of this general kind, a problem sometimes arises in that a failure of the day-to-day controls allows the ventilator to open unnecessarily, such as to permit the escape of warmth from the building and perhaps more seriously to allow rain water to enter the building and spoil articles, such as merchantable goods, stored in the building.

[0004] FR-A-2511128 discloses a fire ventilator which opens manually or in response to detection of smoke or a fire. It does not, however, disclose dual day-to-day controls that must be operated simultaneously to allow the ventilator to open.

[0005] To mitigate this problem the present invention provides a controllable fire ventilator as hereinbefore described having dual day-to-day controls each capable of holding the ventilator closed, one of the controls being operable to move the ventilator from an open to its closed position, and both controls being operable simultaneously, to allow the ventilator to open.

[0006] Preferably, the dual controls are arranged in tandem and preferably also, the controls are powered controls, each having its own power source.

[0007] Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a ventilator according to the present invention incorporating dual controls;

FIG. 2 is an underneath plan view of the ventilator shown in Fig. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates alternative dual controls for a ventilator the present invention.

[0008] With reference now to the accompanying drawings, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the ventilator of the present example is of the louvred type comprising a frame 10 defining a ventilation opening 11 controlled by a bank of pivotable louvres 12 movable between a closed position, closing the ventilation opening 11 of the ventilator, and an open position allowing the exhaust of heat, smoke and fumes through the ventilation opening. The ventilator may, however, be a single flap or double flap ventilator in which the flap or flaps are movable between a closed position, closing the ventilation opening, and an open position allowing exhaust of heat, smoke and fumes through the opening.

[0009] The louvres 12 are each pivoted to the frame 10 as at 14, for opening and closing movement, in unison, by movement of control bars (not shown) under the action of opening springs 13 connected between the frame 10 of the ventilator and a transverse member 16 interconnecting the control bars. To this end, the louvres 12 are pivoted to the control bars, which extend along opposite sides respectively of the bank of louvres, by means of louvre ears (not shown) attached to the louvre ends.

[0010] Many different control linkages are known or may be devised for moving a bank of louvres in unison, to open and close the louvres and any system is suitable for the purposes of the present example. The essential feature is to have an opening spring or springs connected between the frame and the control linkage at a suitable point or points. Of course, as is equally well known the control linkage may incorporate instead of an opening spring or springs, an opening weight, the weight, when released, moving under gravity to open the ventilator.

[0011] If the ventilator is a flap ventilator having one or two flaps, the flaps may be arranged to be urged open by springs or weights in any known or convenient fashion.

[0012] Referring again to the accompanying drawings, the louvred ventilator example has dual ventilator controls each capable of holding the ventilator closed. These controls are respectively pneumatically and electrically powered controls and in the present example the controls are arranged in tandem such that if the power supply to one control should fail, the remaining control holds the ventilator closed, and vice versa. The pneumatically powered control, which could be substituted with an hydraulically powered control or a manual control, takes the form of a pneumatic piston and cylinder unit 20 mounted on the framed 10, the cylinder of which is supplied with compressed air by a supply pipe (not shown) to close the ventilator, the piston then being instroked to move the control linkage member 16 via a control cable 22 connecting the piston rod 21 with the member 16, the cable passing around a pulley 24.

[0013] If the supply of compressed air to the cylinder of the unit 20 should fail for any reason the ventilator would normally be opened by the springs 13.

[0014] To prevent this, an electro-magnetic control 30 is provided comprising an electro-magnetic device 31 mounted on the frame 10 and an electro-magnetic keeper plate 33 attached to the cable 22. So long as the electro-magnetic device 31 remains energised, the keeper plate 33 is retained by the device and the springs 13 are not able to open the ventilator.

[0015] If the electrical power supply to the device 31 should fail, the ventilator is unable to open so long as compressed air is supplied to the unit 20.

[0016] There is a double assurance therefore that the ventilator will not open unintentionally due to a power failure for example.

[0017] The piston and cylinder unit 20 may be used to adjust the ventilator to any desired open position between fully open and closed. In order to adjust the ventilator from the closed position to an open position, the electro-magnetic device 31 is de-energised and may be re-energised once the ventilator has been adjusted to an open position in order to hold the ventilator closed once it has been re-closed by operation of the unit 21.

[0018] To obtain an automatic opening in response to the onset of a fire condition the cable control incorporates a fusible link 35.

[0019] The unit 20 and the cable 22 may be connected to close the flap or flaps of a single flap or a twin flap ventilator in any convenient manner, the electro-magnetic control 30 then holding the flaps closed when the flaps are moved to their closed position.

[0020] Instead of the pneumatic piston and cylinder unit 20, an electric motor driven unit could be substituted, the electric motor driven unit being powered e.g. from a battery powered source and the electro-magnetic device 31 from an A.C. power source or vice versa.

[0021] Dual day-to-day controls having dual electric circuits both of which must be activated to allow the ventilator to open can be interconnected electrically with an electrically signalling fire detection system and an electrically operated sprinkler system to achieve an earlier response to a requirement for smoke venting whilst avoiding ventilator opening in response to a false alarm arising from the fire detection system alone.

[0022] With reference now to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the ventilator of the present example may again be of the louvred type as already described. The ventilator may, however, be a single flap or double flap ventilator in which the flap or flaps are movable between a closed position, closing the ventilation opening, and an open position allowing exhaust of heat, smoke and fumes through the opening.

[0023] In any case, an opening spring or springs or an opening weight or weights are provided to open the ventilator.

[0024] The dual controls illustrated in Fig. 3 are each capable of holding the ventilator closed. These controls are respectively pneumatically and electrically powered controls and in the present example the controls are again arranged in tandem such that if the power supply to one control should fail, the remaining control holds the ventilator closed, and vice versa. The pneumatically powered control takes the form of a pneumatic piston and cylinder unit 120 mounted on the frame of the ventilator, the cylinder 121 of which is supplied with compressed air by a supply pipe 122 to close the ventilator, the piston then being instroked to move a control linkage member connected as at 123 to the piston rod 124.

[0025] If the supply of compressed air to the cylinder of the unit 120 should fail for any reason the ventilator would normally be opened by its spring or springs or weight or weights.

[0026] To prevent this, an electro-magnet 30 is provided mounted in, and forming the inner end wall of, the cylinder 121, which is composed of non-magnetically permeable material, a keeper plate 33 being attached to the piston 126. So long as the electro-magnet 30 remains energised, the keeper plate 33 is retained in contact with it by the magnet and the springs are not able to open the ventilator.

[0027] If the electrical power supply to the magnet should fail, the ventilator is unable to open so long as compressed air is supplied to the unit 120 through the supply pipe 122.

[0028] There is a double assurance therefore that the ventilator will not open unintentionally due to a power failure for example.

[0029] The piston and cylinder unit 120 may be used to adjust the ventilator to any desired open position between fully open and closed. In order to adjust the ventilator from the closed position to an open position, the electro-magnet 30 is de-energised and may be re-energised once the ventilator has been adjusted to an open position in order to hold the ventilator closed once it has been re-closed by operation of the unit 120.

[0030] To obtain an automatic opening in response to the onset of a fire condition the ventilator control linkage member may incorporate a fusible link.

[0031] A fire switch 140 is incorporated in the power supply to the electro-magnet 30 to enable the ventilator to open when the unit 120 is exhausted of compressed air through the pipe connection 122 by suitable switching of a pneumatic control valve to place the pipe connection 122 in communication with atmosphere, e.g. in response to operation of an electrically signalling fire detection system or an electrically operated sprinkler system.

[0032] The unit 120 may be connected to close the flap or flaps of a single flap or a twin flap ventilator in any convenient manner, the electromagnet 30 then holding the flaps closed when the flaps are moved to their closed position.

[0033] The magnet 30 is powered from a 24 Volt battery source.

[0034] The dual day-to-day controls (not shown) having respectively pneumatic and electric circuits to power the unit 120 and the magnet 30 respectively must both be switched to allow the ventilator to open. The fire switch 140 can be interconnected electrically with the electrically signalling fire detection system to achieve an earlier response to a requirement for smoke venting by automatic operation of the pneumatic control valve in response to operation of the electrically operated sprinkler system whilst avoiding ventilator opening in response to a false alarm arising from the fire detection system alone.

[0035] Any suitable manually controllable pneumatic valve system may be used to control the supply and exhaust of compressed air to and from the unit 120 to control the day-to-day adjustment of the ventilator. In the same way, an electric switch in addition to the fire switch 140 would be provided to de-energise and then re-energise the electro-magnet 30 for day-to-day opening of the ventilator, the electro-magnet being re-energised to hold the ventilator closed when the ventilator is returned to its closed position by operation of the unit 120.

Claims

1. A controllable fire ventilator which is required to open automatically in response to a fire condition and to provide selectable day-to-day ventilation, the ventilator having a spring or springs (13) and/or a weight or weights urging it open and dual day-to-day controls (20, 30) characterised in that each of said day-to-day controls is capable of holding the ventilator closed, one of the controls (20) being operable to move the ventilator from an open to its closed position, and both controls being operable simultaneously to allow the ventilator to open under the action of its spring or springs and/or weight or weights.

2. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 in which the dual controls (20, 30) are arranged in tandem.

3. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the dual controls are powered controls each having its own power source.

4. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which said one of the controls (20) is a manual control.

5. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which said one of the controls (20) is a pneumatically or hydraulically powered control.

6. A ventilator as claimed in claim 1, 2, 4 or 5 in which the other control (30) is an electrically powered control.

7. A ventilator as claimed in claims 5 and 6 in which said one of the controls (20) comprises a pneumatically powered piston and cylinder unit.

8. A ventilator as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which the other control (30) comprises an electro-magnetic device (31) and an electro-magnetic keeper plate (33) retained by the device to hold the ventilator closed so long as the electro-magnetic device remains energised.

9. A ventilator as claimed in claim 8 in which the electro-magnetic device (31) is arranged to be reenergised once the ventilator has been adjusted to an open position by the spring or springs and/or weight or weights.

10. A ventilator as claimed in one of claims 7 to 9 in which the electro-magnetic device (31) is mounted in and forms the inner end wall of the cylinder (120) of said piston and cylinder unit, the piston (126) of which carries said electro-magnetic keeper plate (33), and the cylinder is composed of non-magnetically permeable material.

11. A ventilator as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10 in which the electrically powered control includes a normally closed fire switch (140) electrically interconnected with an electrically signalling fire detection system (5) so as to be opened upon operation thereof, thereby to de-energise the electro-magnetic device, and said one of the controls is responsive to the operation of an electrically operated sprinkler system.

12. A ventilator as claimed in any of claims 2 to 11, when directly or indirectly dependent upon claim 2 in which the dual day-to-day controls incorporate a fusible link positioned so as to obtain in response to the onset of a fire condition and melting the link, an automatic opening of the ventilator under the action of said spring or springs and/or weight or weights.

Revendications

1. Dispositif de ventilation commandable en cas d'incendie, devant s'ouvrir automatiquement par suite de l'apparition d'un incendie et devant permettre une ventilation journalière au choix, ce dispositif de ventilation comportant un ou plusieurs ressorts (13) et/ou un ou plusieurs poids le sollicitant vers sa position ouverte, ainsi que deux commandes journalières (20,30), caractérisé en ce que chacune des commandes journalières est capable de maintenir le dispositif de ventilation fermé, une première commande (20) parmi les deux commandes pouvant intervenir pour déplacer le dispositif de ventilation de sa position ouverte vers sa position fermée, et les deux commandes pouvant intervenir simultanément pour permettre au dispositif de ventilation de s'ouvrir sous l'action de son ou ses ressorts et/de son ou ses poids.

2. Dispositif de ventilation suivant la revendication 1 caractérisé en ce que les deux commandes (20,30) sont agencées en tandem.

3. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 ou 2 caractérisé en ce que les deux commandes sont des commandes alimentées en énergie ayant chacune sa propre source d'énergie.

4. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 ou 2 caractérisé en ce que la première commande (20) est une commande manuelle.

5. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 ou 2 caractérisé en ce que la première commande (20) est une commande alimentée pneumatiquement ou hydrauliquement.

6. Dispositif de ventilation Suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1,2,4 ou 5 caractérisé en ce que la seconde commande (30) est une commande alimentée électriquement.

7. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 5 et 6 caractérisé en ce que la première commande (20) comprend une unité à cylindre et piston alimentée pneumatiquement.

8. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 6 ou 7 caractérisé en ce que la seconde commande (30) comprend un dispositif électromagnétique (31) et une plaque de retenue électromagnétique (33) retenue par le dispositif afin de maintenir le dispositif de ventilation fermé aussi longtemps que le dispositif électromagnétique demeure excité.

9. Dispositif de ventilation suivant la revendication 8 caractérisé en ce que le dispositif électromagnétique (31) est agencé de manière à être réexcité une fois que le dispositif de ventilation a été placé dans une position ouverte par le ou les ressorts et/ou par le ou les poids.

10. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 7 à 9 caractérisé en ce que le dispositif électromagnétique (31) est monté dans la paroi frontale interne du cylindre (120) de l'unité à cylindre et piston et il forme cette paroi frontale interne, le piston (126) de l'unité porte la plaque de retenue électromagnétique (33) et le cylindre est composé d'un matériau non perméable magnétiquement.

11. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 8,9 ou 10 caractérisé en ce que la commande alimentée électriquement comporte un interrupteur actionné en cas d'incendie (140), normalement fermé, interconnecté électriquement avec un système (5) de détection d'incendie à signalisation électrique, de manière à s'ouvrir lors du fonctionnement de celui-ci, afin de désexciter ainsi le dispositif électromagnétique, et la première commande est sensible au fonctionnement d'un système d'arrosage actionné électriquement.

12. Dispositif de ventilation suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 11 lorsqu'elle dépend directement ou indirectement de la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que les deux commandes journalières comportent un lien fusible disposé de manière à obtenir, à la suite de l'apparition d'un incendie et de la fusion du lien, une ouverture automatique du dispositif de ventilation sous l'action du ou des ressorts et/ou du ou des points.

Ansprüche

1. Steuerbarer Brandlüfter, der selbsttätig infolge eines Brandzustands öffnen und eine wählbare tägliche Lüftung bereitstellen soll, wobei der Lüfter eine Feder oder Federn (13) und/oder ein Gewicht oder Gewichte, die ihn offen drücken, und duale Alltagssteuerungen (20,30) besitzt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß jede der Alltagssteuerungen in der Lage ist, den Lüfter geschlossen zu halten, eine der Steuerungen (20) betätigbar ist, um den Lüfter aus einer offenen in seine geschlossene Stellung zu bewegen, und beide Steuerungen gleichzeitig betätigbar sind, um es dem Lüfter zu ermöglichen, unter der Wirkung seiner Feder oder Federn und/oder seines Gewichts oder seiner Gewichte zu öffnen.

2. Lüfter nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die dualen Steuerungen (20,30) eine Tandemanordnung aufweisen.

3. Lüfter nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei dem die dualen Steuerungen angetriebene Steuerungen sind, die jeweils ihre eigene Kraftquelle besitzen.

4. Lüfter nach Anspruch 1 oder Anspruch 2, bei dem eine der beiden Steuerungen (20) eine Handsteuerung ist.

5. Lüfter nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei dem eine der Steuerungen (20) eine pneumatisch oder hydraulisch angetriebene Steuerung ist.

6. Lüfter nach Anspruch 1, 2, 4 oder 5, bei dem die andere Steuerung (30) eine elektrisch betriebene Steuerung ist.

7. Lüfter nach den Ansprüchen 5 und 6, bei dem die eine der Steuerungen (20) eine pneumatisch angetriebene Kolben-Zylinder-Einheit umfaßt.

8. Lüfter nach Anspruch 6 oder 7, bei dem die andere Steuerung (30) eine elektromagnetische Einrichtung (31) und eine von der Einrichtung gehaltene elektromagnetische Halteplatte (33) zum Geschlossenhalten des Lüfters, solange wie die elektromagnetische Einrichtung erregt bleibt, umfaßt.

9. Lüfter nach Anspruch 8, bei dem die elektromagnetische Einrichtung (31) so eingerichtet ist, daß sie neu erregt wird, wenn der Lüfter auf eine Offenstellung durch die Feder oder Federn und/oder das Gewicht oder die Gewichte eingestellt worden ist.

10. Lüfter nach einem der Ansprüche 7 bis 9, bei dem die elektromagnetische Einrichtung (31) im Zylinder (120) angebracht ist und die innere Stirnwand des Zylinders (120) der Kolben-Zylinder-Einheit bildet, deren Kolben (126) die elektromagnetische Halteplatte (33) trägt, und der Zylinder aus nicht-magnetisch durchlässigem Material besteht.

11. Lüfter nach Anspruch 8, 9 oder 10, bei dem die elektrisch betriebene Steuerung einen normalerweise geschlossenen Brandschalter (140) umfaßt, der elektrisch mit einem Branderkennungssystem (5) mit elektrischer Signalgebung verbunden ist, um bei dessen Betätigung geöffnet zu werden und dadurch die elektromagnetische Einrichtung abzuerregen, und die eine der Steuerungen auf die Betätigung eines elektrisch betriebenen Sprinklersystems anspricht.

12. Lüfter nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 11, bei direkter oder indirekter Abhängigkeit von Anspruch 2, bei dem die dualen Alltagssteuerungen eine Schmelzverbindung beinhalten, die derart positioniert ist, daß man infolge des Auftretens eines Brandzustands und eines Schmelzens der Verbindung eine selbsttätige Öffnung des Lüfters unter der Wirkung der Feder oder Federn und/oder des Gewichts oder der Gewichte erhält.

Drawing