US3425621A - Inline centrifugal fan with door - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 4, 1969 R. c. GREENHE CK 3,425,621

INLINE CENTRIF-UGAL FAN WITH DOOR Filed Aug. 23, 1967 Sheet INVENTOR ROBERT c. GREENHECK uwn' j 1 14 ;r 15 331 r.. BY L ATTORNEY Feb. 4, 1969 R. c. GREE4NHECK 3,

INLINE CENTRIFUGAL FAN WITH noon Filed Aug. 23, 1967 Sheet 2 of 5 24\ I INVENTOR 22 3 ROBERT c. GREENHECK n 59 t i G. 4 c j C Y r 4 LL j ,ff]. xk'lz 2 ATTORNEY R. C- GREENHECK INLINE CENTRIFUGAL FAN WITH DOOR Feb. 4, 1969 8 'Sheet 3 of Filed Aug. 25, 1967 INVENTOR ROBERT C. GREENHECK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,425,621 INLINE CENTRIFUGAL FAN WITH DOOR Robert C. Greenheck, Schofield, Wis., assignor to Greenheck Fan & Ventilator C0rp., Schofield, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 662,824

US. Cl. 230-235 Int. Cl. F04b 39/00; F04d 25/06, 25/08 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The problems of adapting a fan module to square or rectangular duct systems can involve significant expenditures of time and money for transitional hardware and on-the-site tailoring of adapter ducts. This invention provides a square inline fan module which is easily installed in such duct systems with a minimum of labor and transitional material. The fan module has a motor blower unit mounted on a swinging door; the fan module can be installed in any space orientation, that is angularly, vertically and horizontally, with the door disposed in any plane. The module is uniquely designed to support the weight of the motor blower unit in any position. The combination also includes a self-contained motor cooling system for the direct drive fan module which produces a flow of cooling air from outside of the system over the motor.

The adjustable frusto-conical inlet curb and the hinge means for the door are structurally coordinated to enable free swinging movement of the centrifugal wheel into mating alignment with the curb,

The structural elements of the fan are of a design which enables mass production at a reasonable cost without sacrifice of structural and operational integrity.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a direct drive fan module mounted in a square duct system which is shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of FIGURE 1 taken on a different angle and with the door in open position;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of the fan module of FIGURE 2 rotated 90 with the door in closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view with parts separated of the hinge arrangement of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view with the parts separated of the outlet cross brace arrangement of FIG- UR-E 2;

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of a belt drive embodiment of the fan module; and

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURES l and 2 show the longitudinally extending square housing 15 and the direct drive motor blower unit 16 mounted in cantilever fashion on the door 17.

The housing 15 includes an inlet 18 and an outlet 19 at opposite longitudinally aligned ends thereof. Opposed 3,425,621 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 structural panels 20 and 21 provide walls for the housing and have strengthening means 22 (FIGURE 4) along their longitudinal edges, each strengthening means 22 preferably being formed from the sheet material of the panels by a facing member 23 at right angles to its panel 20, 21 and a terminal member 24 parallel to its panel, facing member 23 extending inwardly at right angles to its panel and terminal member 24 extending'back along the panel to provide a channel. Closure panel 25 is longitudinally coextensive with an opposed pair of strengthening means 22 and is fixedly joined to the facing members 23.

A frusto-conical inlet curb- 26 is mounted at the inlet end of the housing; preferably the curb 26 is adjustably mounted on an inlet ring 27 which provides a transverse wall 28 with a central opening 29, the ring being fixedly connected to the housing elements at the inlet. FIGURE 3 shows the curb 26 bolted to the inlet ring 27; FIGURE 4 shows the enlarged bolt holes 30 of the curb 26 and the bolts 31 which enable adjustment of the curb to provide mating alignment of the curb with the Wheel 32. The nuts 33 of FIGURE 3 are not shown in FIGURE 4. The small diameter end 34 of the curb 26 is positioned a predetermined distance inwardly of the inlet and is preferably in substantially transverse alignment with the transverse swinging axis of the door 17 to facilitate free swinging movement of the door between open and closed positions. When the door 17 is closed, the wheel 32 and curb 26- are preferably telescoped together for optimum operation.

Right angle flanges 35 of inlet ring 27 brace the inlet 18; diagonal brace means 36 and bands 37 brace the outlet 19.

The door assembly 40 is mounted on housing 15 by hinge means 41 which extends between opposed strengthening means 22 of the housing, hinge means 41 including support member 42, an angle post 43 and fixed hinge leaf 44, as shown in FIGURE 5. The other movable hinge leaf 45 is connected tolfirst door panel 46 which in turn overlaps and is connected to second door panel 47. Preferably movable hinge leaf 45 is sandwiched between the first door panel 46 and attached spaced longitudinally extending door rail angles 48, these angles 48 also extending the length of and being connected to the second door panel 47.

It will be noted that the direct drive embodiment of FIGURES 1-6 as well as the belt drive embodiment of FIGURES 7 and 8 utilizes the same housing 15 and through proper selection of the support member 41, first door panel 46 and second door panel 47, the mounting of the motor blower unit 16 can be accomplished while maintaining mating alignment of the wheel 32 and the cunb 26. It will be obvious that various dimensional changes of these elements of the door assembly 40 can be made to suit various requirements.

Referring again to the modification of FIGURES 1-6, the motor blower unit 16 is mounted on the door 17 by a U-shaped tunnel bracket 50 which has legs 51 mounted on the inside of the door 17 and connected to the angles 48 with the unit 16 being mounted on the intermediate mounting plate 52 thereof with the wheel 32 positioned between the plate 52 and the curb 26. The motor 53 is protected by a cover 54 connected to the: mounting plate 52 which defines a chamber which is also part of the cooling flow path for the motor, the air being caused to flow through intake pipe 55 and discharge pipe 56 extending between the door 17 and the mounting plate 52 by a fan blade 57 within the chamber on the motor. An arcuate or spiral air guide 58 is provided for the fan blade 57. Preferably the electrical connection 59 to the motor can be made through the intake pipe 55.

. The belt driveembodiment of FIGURES 7 and 8 includes a belt drive means 60 which operatively interconnects the motor 61 and the wheel 62 through bearing means 63 mounted on the mounting plate 64 of the tunnel bracket 65. The motor 61 is adjustably mounted in a conventional fashion on motor bracket 66 on the outside of the second door panel 67, from which panel extends a tube 68 which connects with the mounting plate 64 and houses the belt 69. A cover 70 is provided over the mounting plate 64 for the bearing means 63, shaft 72 and pulley 73.

While the invention has been described with reference to a certain embodiment, it is to be considered illustrative rather than limiting, and it is intended to cover all further embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An inline centrifugal fan module comprising a longitudinally extending housing and a door assembly mounted thereon defining an enclosed duct having an inlet and an outlet, said duct being substantially square in transverse cross section;

said housing including opposed structural panels, a

closure panel connected to said structural panels, and a frusto-conical inlet curb mounted at the inlet end of the housing with its small diameter end being positioned a predetermined distance inwardly of said inlet;

said door assembly including a hinge means extending transversely between the structural panels at the inlet end of the housing, a door mounted on said hinge means for swinging movement about a transverse axis located substantialy said predetermined distance from. said inlet, and a motor blower unit mounted on said door, said motor blower unit having a wheel which is longitudinally mated with said end of said inlet curb when the door is in closed position and which can be freely swung outwardly with the door to open position.

2. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1 and including an inlet ring connected to said housing at the inlet providing a transverse wall with a central circular opening, said frusto-conical inlet curb being adjustably mounted on said inlet ring to enable alignment of said small diameter end with the wheel.

3. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1 and wherein said opposed structural panels have strengthening means along their longitudinal edges, and said housing includes diagonal brace means at said outlet. 4. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1 and wherein said door assembly includes a U-shaped tunnel bracket having legs mounted on the inside of said door and an intermediate mounting plate, said motor blower unit being mounted on said mounting plate with said wheel positioned between said plate and said curb. 5. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 4 and wherein said door assembly includes a cover over said mounting plate defining a chamber and enclosing the portion of the motor blower unit mounted thereon and an intake pipe and a discharge pipe connected between said mounting plate and said door for providing a cooling air flow path for said motor, said motor having a fan blade within said chamber for producing a cooling air flow. 6. An inline centrifugal fan module as defined in claim 1 and wherein said door assembly includes a U-shaped tunnel bracket having legs mounted on the inside of said door and an intermediate mounting plate, the motor of said motor blower unit being mounted on the outside of said door, said wheel being positioned between said mounting plate and said curb, belt drive means operatively interconnecting the motor and the wheel and having bearing means mounted on said mounting plate, a tube for housing the belt extending from the door to the mounting plate, and a cover over said mounting plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,458,045 1/1949 Angus 34 222 3,305,163 2/1967 Sheppard 230-117 ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 230-117

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