US2127099A - Ridge type ventilator - Google Patents

Description

Filed July 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A/vTv/v K. WHITAKERE HI IHH HH I. a HHWWMMM W 1% 1938. A. K. WHITAKER 2,127,099

RIDGE TYPE VENTILATOR Filed July 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ANToN A. WHITAKER Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES 2.121.099 amen ma vau'rma'roa Anton K. Whitaker, Cnyahoga Fails. Ohimauignor to The Burt Manuiacturing Akron; Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I Application July 1, 1936, Serial No. 88,395

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The present invention relates to long or ridge type ventilators for buildings. A ventilator oi the ridge type has a number of advantages over individual or unit ventilators as it gives uninterrupted ventilation over the root or root section. whereas the unit type of ventilator concentrates ventilation at isolated spots and leaves intermediate areas unventilated. The ridge type ventilator is also more sightly than the unit type.

Ridge type ventilators have been known and used prior to the present invention, but earlier forms have had certain disadvantages and limitations which the present invention overcomes. One of the advantages of the ventilator shown and described herein is that outside currents of air striking the ventilator are directed within the interior thereof and are conducted through the ventilator so that a suction or siphoning effect is secured, increasing the efliciency of the ventilator. A further object of the invention is to provide for a vertically moving damper which increases the efllcient length of the ventilator. Prior ventilators of this type have been equipped with dampers which move longitudinally as they are raised and lowered, thereby reducing the area of the opening in the building. The mechanism for raising and lowering the damper is also improved over previous designs.

Further objects of the ventilator are to improve upon the means for joining ventilator sections so that a long ventilator may be built up from individual sections. In the event that longer installations are required that would prevent the operation of the damper by a single device, the ventilator has been designed so that it may be divided into operative sections without breaking the symmetry of the installation.

Other objects and advantages are secured from the invention as will be apparent from the de-' 40 scription and drawings, and it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made without altering the principles of the ventilator or changing its functions and purposes. 45 In the drawings in which the best known or preferred form of the invention is shown:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a unit of the ridge ventilator, one end being broken out to show the end closure and the other end being broken out on the line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an end' view looking into the unit fro the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section at the closed end of the ventilator on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the means oi joining or splicing two units, the section being taken on the line 4-4 01' Fig. 5; FlFlgl. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-4 of Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. '7, 5 showing the partition which is used in splicing two sections of the ventilator with individual dampers; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 'I1'oi Fig. 6.

The ventilator is adapted to any form or shape of root, the support and attachment of the ventilator being changed to fit any type of root encountered. I

In the form shown the ventilator, which is 15 formed in lengths or units, is mounted upon two oppositely positioned strips shown at 2-2 which are shaped to flt any roof construction to which the ventilator is adapted. These strips are located on opposite sides of the ventilation opening 20 3 leading from the interior of the building. At the end of the ventilator the metal may form the peak of the roof as shown at l. The inner edges of the strips 2 are bent upwardly to form the vertical flanges 5 upon which the ventilator is 25 supported. These flanges may be braced at convenient intervals by horizontal braces I and arched braces l.

Along the sides of the ventilator are arrang "l the two parallel and oppositely positioned wind or storm bands III which are formed of -sheet metal with the central vertical. webs and inwardly inclined upper and lower edge portions 12 and M, respectively. The windband is supported from the vertical flanges 5 by the rectangular straps l6 and inclined braces l'l which are secured by the bolts I8 whichalso form the attachments for the horizontal braces I. It will be noted that the lower edge of the flange i4 is spaced from the roof an appreciable distance 40 over the entire length of the ventilator to provide a longitudinal wind opening IS on either side of the ventilator. In this respect the pres- ,ent type of ridge ventilator diii'ers from and presents marked advantages over previous ventilators of this type as the construction is such that currents of air from outside the building will enter and be conducted through the ventilator so as to create a suction or aspirating efiect and thus increase its efiectiveness. The lower edge may be maintained at the proper distance from the flanges 5 to permit the free entrance of external air currents by spacer sleeves i 8 which are received over bolts l9 passing through the lower .edge of the windbands and the vertical flanges. The windband is stiflened along the lower edge by a reversely turned flange 23 and along the upper edge by a similar flange 2|.

The upper edges of the windbands are spaced apart along the top 01' the ventilator at some distance above the opening 3 to form the longitudinal discharge opening 24 and are braced by'the horizontal straps 25 and by inverted. arched straps 2i, whichlatter form a convenient upper limit orstop for the damper. The straps 25 form a convenient rest for a screen 23, if such isto be employed, screws 23 passing through the upper edge of the windband and into the edgestention and object to prevent air currents from the exterior entering the ventilator. This is contrary to the principle and mode of opera-- tion of the present ventilator which admits the external currents of air in very substantial. quantities but guides and directs them afterthey enter the ventilator so as to increase the.

efliciency of, the ventilator. For this purpose it will be observed that currents of air entering the openings l5 are directed by the deflectors 30 along the passages 32, from whence-they move upwardly along the inner walls of the windbands and pass out through the opening 24 in the general direction of the arrows marked A.

The upward movement of these currents will create a suction or aspirating effect upon the air moving upward through the opening 3, such currents being noted by the arrows B. As these currents A and B meet around the lower edges of the damper, the suction effect of the strong currents A will draw the air from the interior of the building upward through the opening 3 and out of the ventilator. The baflies or deflectors 30 also direct the incoming air currents away from the opening 3 and there is no down draft.

The damper is indicated by the numeral and is movable between its lower position, shown in dotted lines in.Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6, where, it rests upon the upper edges of the vertical flanges 5 and closes the opening 3, and its extreme upper position against the braces 26 (shown in full lines). It is moved to a greater or less extent by a chain or cord shown at 42. This damper is superior to other dampers used in .this type of ventilator because it moves in a vertical direction and does not shift longitudinally, being guided in its movement by rollers 44 attached to the sides of the damper andv moving in vertical trackways 45 attached to the underside of the edge portions I2 of the windbands and to the upper side of the deflec-- ing link 52 to the lower end of which the chain 42 is attached. At one end of the damper, links 54- and 55 are connected to the rail 5| and the link 52, respectively, and are pivoted at 56 to the inside faces of the flanges 5. A supplemental or idle link 53 is provided at the other end of the damper. It will be seen that as the chain ,42 is pulled, the rails II are elevated and the damperraised, therolling' contact with the underside of the damper permitting it to move in a vertical direction. The operation is easy and a long damper member. may be moved. with little exertion, nor is there any tendency for the damper-operating mechanism to bind at any point.

Rain, snow or debris entering the ventilatory is intercepted directly by the damper and directed toward the sides of the ventilator, pass-- ing out. onto the roof through the openings II. By this improved construction it isnot necessary to provide a central ridge member in the top of the ventilator to make the device weatherproof, as in prior forms of ventilators of this type, and consequently freer passage of air is allowed through the ventilator.

To make the ventilator weatherproof at the end, a closure piece'tll is provided which flts around the windbands and is provided with a horizontal flange 62 which extends over the opening 3 and is provided with downwardly flaring skirts 64 which direct water into the opening l5. An upstanding flange 65 is provided at the side of the piece ill to prevent the overflow of water into the opening 3.

The ventilator which has been shown and described ismade in unit lengths which may be joined together. The several units are spliced end to end as-shown in Figs. 4 and 5. For this purpose the deflectors 30 on one unitare stepped back from the end of the unit to permit telescoping of the units. This is shown at 66 in Fig. 5. The side strips 2 and the windbands are overlapped and connected, the reversely bent reinforcing flanges being stepped back. A cover plate 61 is secured to and overlaps both dampers. In the event that an assembly of these units is not too long to permit the operation of the damper by a single mechanism, provision is made for joining the damper-operating mechanisms. In the form illustrated in Fig. 1, the section will be added to the left of Fig. 1, the end piece 60 being removed and the splice made at that point. The added section will be provided with additional links 58, bar 5| and rollers. A tying link, broken ofi and shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, connects the bar 5| with the corresponding bar on the next adjacent section.

In the event the installation is too long to permit of the operation of the damper by a single operating device, or should separate damper controls be desired, it is necessary to provide a weatherproof joint at the division line between two sections. Such a device is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and consists of a vertical wall lower edges of which are bent outwardly to provide cover plates 'Il over the opening 3, extending for a suflicient distance to intercept rain between the ends of the dampers. Upright walls 12 prevent water from running off the plates into the opening and skirts I3 extend downwardly and overlap the side walls and deflector strips.

The ventilator secures the maximum eflficiency .10, preferably formed of a two-ply metal, the

from the wind, but is storm and weatherproof throughout. The baille or deflector strip 80, in combination with the spaced windband, gives'a new and highly efllcient mode of operation. Rain or snow entering the ventilator is deflected beneath the lower edge of the windband at the sides and ends and also at any division points between dampers. The vertical movement of the damper reduces to a minimum the amount of closure required at the end zone of the ventilator. The mechanism for raising and lowering-the damper is simple and easy to operate. .In fact, the mechanism operates so easily that as many as four ten-foot lengths may be operated by a single chain. The weight of the damper is always suflicient to close it when the chain is released. For flreproofness a fusible link may be inserted in the chain.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ventilator of the ridge type adapted to be mountedover a building ventilation opening, a casing composed of two parallel windbands spaced at their. upper edges to provide a free discharge opening, walls within the casing on opposite sides of the building ventilation opening, a damper located in the casing and movable toward and from the ventilation opening in a vertical line, said damper being extended laterally to intercept rain entering the discharge opening and to direct it to the sides of the casing, the lower edges of the casing being spaced from the roof to permit free access of wind below the ventilation opening, deflectors below the ventilation opening to direct the wind against the inner walls of the casing and upwardly past the ventilation opening to the discharge opening, and means at the end of the casing to cover the ventilation opening sufiiciently to prevent the entrance of rain at that point.

2. A continuous ventilator of the ridge type adapted to be placed over an elongated ridge opening, comprising two spaced parallel strips attached to the building at either side of a ridge opening, vertical walls rising from the inner edges of said strips, vertical parallel strips constituting storm bands located on opposite sides of the walls and spaced therefrom, the storm bands being provided with upper and lower inwardly directed inclined edges, inclined deflector members carried on the vertical walls and forming air directing channels with the lower edges of the storm bands, vertical end walls at the ends of the ventilator, a movable damper located over the ventilation opening and below the top of the storm bands, the ends of the damper being closely adjacent the end walls, and means to move the damper in a direct vertical path.

I 3. A continuous ventilator of the ridge type adapted to be placed over an elongated ridge opening, comprising two spaced parallel strips attached to the building at either side of a ridge opening, vertical walls rising from the inner forming air directing channels with the lower edges of the storm bands, vertical end walls at the ends of the ventilator, a movable damper located over the ventilation opening and below the top of the storm bands, the ends of the damper being closely adjacent the end walls,

means to move the damper in a direct vertical path, and means to intercept rain and to prevent its admission into the ventilation opening at thev ends of the damper.

4. A continuous ventilator of the ridge type adapted to be placed over an elongated ridge opening, comprising two spaced parallel strips attached to the building at either side'of a ridge opening, vertical walls rising from the inner edges of said strips, vertical parallel strips constituting storm bands located on opposite sides of the walls and spaced therefrom, the storm bands being provided with upper and lower inwardly directed inclined edges, inclined deflector members carried on'the vertical walls and forming air directing channels with the lower edges of the storm bands, vertical end walls at the ends of the ventilator, and a movable damper located over the ventilation opening and below the top of the storm bands.

5. In a continuous ventilator of the ridge type adapted to be placed over an elongated ventilation opening, comprising two spaced parallel strips attached to the building at either side of the ridge opening, vertical parallel storm bands extending the length of the ventilator and spaced on opposite sides of the strips, end walls on the ventilator, a movable damper over the ventilation opening located between the storm bands and extending from end wall to end wall, and means to move the damper in a direct vertical path.

6. In a continuous ventilator adapted to be placed over an elongated opening, comprising spaced parallel strips on either side of the opening, vertical walls rising from the strips and defining an elongated ventilation opening, vertical parallel storm bands extending the length of the ventilator on either side of the walls and spaced therefrom, inturned edge portions on the storm bands defining the outlet of the ventilator, and an elongated movable plate located in the space defined by the storm bands, the inturned edge portions and the upper edges of the vertical walls, said platebeing'adapted to operate as a damper and being of sufllcient width to intercept rain entering the outlet opening and prevent it from entering the ventilation opening in any position of the damper.

7. In a continuous ventilator adapted to be placed over an elongated opening, comprising spaced parallel strips on either side of the opening, vertical walls rising from the inner edges of said strips and defining an elongated ventilation opening, vertical parallel storm bands extending the length of the ventilator on either side 01' the walls and spaced therefrom, inturned edge portions on the storm bands defining the outlet of the ventilator, a vertically movable elongated plate located between the outlet opening and the ventilation opening and constituting a damper, end walls on the ventilator, the ends of the damper lying adjacent the end walls, and means to move the damper in a direct vertical line.

8. A ventilator of the continuous ridge type adapted to be placed over an elongated building opening, comprising two parallel strips on opposite sides of the opening, vertical walls rising from the strips and defining the ventilation opening, vertically arranged storm bands on opposite sides of the ventilation opening but spaced to provide passages extending alongthe building between the lower edges of the storm bands and walls and adapted to seat thereon in lowered position and inclineddeflectors on the-sides oi the walls located within the passages and adapted to direct air 'currents which enter the ventilator irom below along the inner surfaces of the storm from the strips and defining the ventilation opening, vertically arrangedstorm bands on opposite sides of the ventilation opening but spacedto provide passages extending along the building between the, lower edges of the storm bands and the roof, inclined deflectors on the sides of the walls located within the passages and adapted to direct air currents which. .enter the ventilator from below along the inner surfaces of the storm bands and past the ventilation opening to create an aspiratlng' eflect at the ventilationopening,- and a movable plate between the storm bands 1 constituting a damper.

. ANTON K. WHITAKER.

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