[0001] The invention relates to an inlet or outlet grid for arrangement in a rectangular
or square opening which is in communication with an air feed duct system, which grid
is provided with parallel grid blades.
[0002] The air duct systems referred to in the preamble are mostly used for ventilation
systems in buildings where the intake and outlet debouch into an outside wall of the
relevant building. The usually rectangular or square openings in the outside wall
have to be screened off by a grid. The making and fitting of such a grid is relatively
complicated because of the lack of standard dimensions so that it is scarcely or not
possible to manufacture the grids in accordance with uniform dimensioning.
[0003] The invention has for its object to obviate the above stated drawback and seeks to
provide a grid which, in addition to having a construction of relatively few different
components, is easy to assemble with regard to fitting.
[0004] The grid according to the invention is distinguished in that each blade is a strip-like
profile having means extending along the edges for receiving a pin-like abutment that
is directed perpendicularly to a wall of a side profile bounding the grid.
[0005] With this attachment system the side profile has only to be provided with pin-like
members, either integrally cast or placed later, which fit into the recesses arranged
in the continuous profile so that the blade profile can be sawn off at any desired
length. Assembly is limited to insertion of the different elements into each other.
[0006] In the case the abutment pins have to be placed later, for instance in the form of
screw bolts, it is then recommended to provide the side profile with position indications
where the abutment pins have to be placed.
[0007] It is effective to bound the grid with a framework, which according to the invention
preferably consists of four similar, substantially L-shaped profiles.
[0008] In accordance with a further feature of the invention the grid is provided with a
wire mesh extending between the legs of the L-shaped edge profiles and situated adjacent
to the grid blades. The wire mesh is hereby automatically enclosed between the edge
profiles and the grid blades.
[0009] For an effective connection of the edge profiles the invention proposes to embody
the edge portion thereof facing away from the wire mesh with a curl of U-shaped cross-section,
whereby the corner connection is effected by an L-shaped coupling member, the legs
of which fit into the U-shaped curl.
[0010] The invention will be further elucidated with reference to the following figure description
of an embodiment.
[0011] In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a perspective front view of an inlet and outlet grid according to the
invention.
Fig. 2 is a detail of the corner connection between two edge profiles of the grid
from fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of a side profile with integrally arranged
abutment pins for a grid blade as according to a second embodiment.
[0012] The inlet or outlet grid shown in fig. 1 for an air duct consists substantially of
a framework 1 built up of side profiles 2 and bottom and top profiles 3. Arranged
between the side or edge profiles are a number of parallel grid blades 4 which have
a strip-like shape and which display along the front and rear edges 5, 6 a receiving
means 7, the function of which is further explained below.
[0013] The edge profiles 2 are substantially L-shaped whereby the long leg 8, see fig. 2,
is provided with a pattern of pressed-out portions 9 for receiving pin-like abutment
means.
[0014] The short leg 10 of the L-shaped edge profile serves to support a wire mesh 11 to
be arranged between the grid blades 4 and that leg, see fig. 1. The other end portion
of the L-shaped edge profile 2 is curled round into a U-shape, see 12, and this curled
edge strip serves for fixing of the ends of the edge profiles sawn to length. Fixing
is carried out by a separate L-shaped coupling member 13 provided with two mutually
perpendicular legs 14 which can be received into the inside of the U-shaped edge strip
12 of the profile 2. Further fixing can take place in any suitable manner, for instance
by spot welding and the like. The above mentioned pin-like abutments are formed in
the embodiment according to fig. 1 by screw bolts 15 which can be placed through the
pressed-out portions 9 into the hollow edge strip 7 of the grid blades 4. As a result
of the predetermined pattern of pressed-out portions 9 the grid blades 4 are automatically
arranged at an angle to the horizontal with respect to the edge profiles 2, such that
raining-in and the like is avoided while air ventilation between the blades is still
possible.
[0015] It will be apparent from the above description that the manufacture of the present
grid is very simple because the fitter only has to shorten the grid blades 4 to length,
starting from a long strip of profile material 4. Depending on the size of the opening
to be covered the edge profiles 2 and 3 are shortened to length, and the grid can
be assembled.
[0016] The grid blades 4 can be arranged between the edge strips 2 beforehand by means of
the screw bolts 15 or later after the forming of the framework from the profiles 2
and 3.
[0017] Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment whereby the pin-like abutment means are fixed
beforehand to the edge profiles 2 so that the grid blade profiles 4 can be pushed
onto them. The pins can be of random type and can for instance be welded, riveted,
integrally cast etc. onto the outer wall of the edge strip 2. The profile strip 4
can be manufactured from plate material whereby the edge strips are curled, whereby
a slightly resilient effect can be exerted on the pin-like abutments 15.
[0018] Finally, it is noted that only a grid blade strip 4′ is lengthened on one side beyond
the receiving means 7 in order to obtain a curling over edge 16 which curls out past
the bottom edge strip 3.
[0019] The invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, but within the scope
of the claims different sectional profile shapes of the edge strips and profile blades
are possible. It is nevertheless apparent from the above description that the number
of parts of the grid is kept to a minimum.
1. Inlet or outlet grid for arrangement in a rectangular or square opening which is
in communication with an air feed duct system, which grid is provided with parallel
grid blades, characterized in that each blade is a strip-like profile (4) having means extending along the edges (7)
for receiving in each case a pin-like abutment (15) that is directed perpendicularly
to a wall of a side profile (2) bounding said grid (1).
2. Grid as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the side profile (3) has position indications (9) for abutments (15) each to be arranged
later.
3. Grid as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a framework (1) bounding the grid is arranged that consists of four similar, substantially
L-shaped profiles (2).
4. Grid as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that a wire mesh (11) is arranged adjacent to the grid blades (4) and extending between
the L-shaped edge profiles (2).
5. Grid as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that each edge profile displays along a lengthwise edge thereof a curl (12) of U-shaped
cross-section, and the corner connection is effected by an L-shaped coupling member
(13), the legs (14) of which are arranged fitting into said U-shaped curl (12).
6. Grid as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the bottom grid blade has an edge strip (16) curling out beyond receiving means extending
in lengthwise direction.