GB2211110A

GB2211110A - A filter for fan operated heating systems

Info

Publication number: GB2211110A
Application number: GB8724511A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Edward Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-10-20
Filing date: 1987-10-20
Publication date: 1989-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-20
Also published as: GB8724511D0; GB2211110B

Abstract

An air filter for a fan operated heating system comprises a metal filter screen (12) made of wire gauze or perforated metal and a frame (14) for fixing the screen (12) to the frame of an existing grill the fixing frame (14) comprising corner pieces (16) and side pieces (18) which are separate from one another and which telescope with respect to one another so that the overall size of the fixing frame (14) can be varied to suit the size of the grill frame. <IMAGE>

Description

A FILTER FOR FAN OPERATED CONVECTOR HEATING SYSTEMS This invention relates to a filter for fan operated convector heating systems.

Fan operated convector heating systems are well known. They are often used in schools to provide the required heating for rooms. If the convector heating systems have internal filters, they either do not get cleaned or they do not get cleaned frequently enough, with the result that the filters become clogged and prevent the required passage of air through the convector heating systems. If the convector heating systems do not have any filters, then heating coils of the convector heating systems tend to clogg up, with the result that the heat output of the heating coils is adversely affected.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, this invention provides a filter for fan operated convector heating systems, which filter comprises a metal filter screen made of wire gauge or perforated metal, and a fixing frame for fixing the metal filter screen to an existing frame of an existing grill, the fixing frame being such that it comprises corner pieces and side pieces which are separate from one another and which telescope with respect to one another so that the overall size of the fixing frame can be varied to suit the size of the existing frame.

Usually, the corner pieces and/or the side pieces will be provided with fixing apertures, the variable overall size of the fixing frame being such that the fixing apertures can be located where desired over the existing frame to enable fixing means to pass through the fixing apertures and into the existing frame in an unobstructed manner. Thus the frame can be varied in size to make sure that the fixing apertures do not coincide with the heads of existing fixing screws or nails or other obstructions on the existing frame.

The fixing means employed to fix the fixing frame to the existing frame will usually be screws or nails.

The corner pieces and the side pieces are preferably concave in cross section.

The corner pieces may fit over the side pieces and, in this case, it may be preferred only to have the fixing apertures in the corner pieces. Alternatively, the side pieces may fit over the corner pieces and, in this case, it may be preferred only to have the fixing apertures in the side pieces.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an existing grill for an existing fan operated convector heating system; Figure 2 shows a filter; Figure 3 is a top plan view of a corner piece; Figure 4 is a section on the line A-A shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a section on the line B-B shown in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a top plan view of a side piece; and Figure 7 is a cross section on the line C-C shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an existing grill 2 for a fan operated convector heating system (not shown). The grill 2 comprises a frame 4 which will hereinafter be referred to as an existing frame 4. The existing frame 4 is provided with fixing apertures 6 which receive fixing means in the form of screws (not shown).. The frame 4 supports a grill screen 8. The grill screen 8 may comprise a plurality of vanes or louvres. The grill screen 8 is not for the purpose of filtering air and the apertures in the grill screen 8, for example between the vanes or louvres, are far larger than would be required for air filtering purposes.

The grill 2 will normally be mounted on a surface, for example a wall surface. Since the grill 2 is usually visible, it will usually be cleaned at relatively frequent intervals, for example during normal cleaning of the building in which the grill 2 is located.

The present invention takes advantage of this normal cleaning and is based on the observation that articles seem to get cleaned when they are visible but usually do not get cleaned when they are not visible.

Referring now more specifically to Figures 2 to 7, there is shown a filter 10 for fitting over the grill 2.

When the filter 10 has been fitted over the grill 2, it will be just as visible as the grill 2 was. This means that the filter 10 will automatically get cleaned at approximately the same time intervals as the grill 2 was cleaned. This cleaning should normally be sufficient to ensure that the filter 10 is kept clean and is thus able to correctly filter air for the fan convector heating system.

The filter 10 comprises a metal filter screen 12 which is made from wire gauge. The filter 10 also comprises a fixing frame 14 for fixing the metal filter screen 12 to the existing frame 4 of the existing grill 2.

The fixing frame 14 comprises corner pieces 16 and side pieces 18. The corner pieces 16 and the side pieces 18 are separate from one another and they telescope with respect to one another. This means that the overall size of the fixing frame 14 can be varied to suit the size of the existing frame 4. The existing frame 4 may be of various sizes but this will not matter since the fixing frame 14 can be adjusted to fit substantially all usually employed sizes of existing frame 4.

The corner pieces 16 are each provided with a fixing aperture 20. The size of the fixing frame 14 can again be adjusted to ensure that the fixing apertures 20 are not placed over the fixing apertures 6 in the existing frame 4, where screw heads in the fixing apertures 6 would block the passage of further screws or other fixing means through the fixing apertures 20 and into the existing frame 4.

It will be seen from Figures 3 to 7 that the corner pieces 16 and the side pieces 18 are concave in cross section.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the corner pieces 16 fit over the side pieces 18. With such a construction, it is usually not necessary to provide the side pieces 18 with fixing apertures 20 since the corner pieces 16 hold the side pieces 18 tightly in position once the corner pieces 16 are screwed to the existing frame 4.

The filter 10 may be provided with self-tapping screws for ensuring that the filter 10 can be screwed to the existing frame 4.

The metal filter screen 12 is shown in Figure 2 as having an edging strip 22 and this can be of any desired and appropriate thickness. The edging strip 22 fits in the concave portions 24 of the corner pieces 16 and the side pieces 18.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the metal filter screen 12 could be made of a perforated metal instead of the wire gauge. The apertures through the metal filter screen 12 may be of various sizes but they should be small enough to effect the required air filtration. Also, instead of the corner pieces 16 fitting over the side pieces 18, the side pieces 18 may fit over the corner pieces 16. In this case, the side pieces 18 will be provided with the fixing apertures 20 and the fixing apertures 20 may be omitted from the corner pieces 16 if desired. As an alternative to providing fixing apertures, the corner pieces 16 and the side pieces 18 may be left in a non-apertured condition so that they then need to be drilled at appropriate positions during fixing of the filter 10 to the existing frame 4.

Claims

1. A filter for fan operated convector heating systems, which filter comprises a metal filter screen made of wire gauge or perforated metal, and a fixing frame for fixing the metal filter screen to an existing frame of an existing grill, the fixing frame being such that it comprises corner pieces and side pieces which are separate from one another and which telescope with respect to one another so that the overall size of the fixing frame can be varied to suit the size of the existing frame.

2. A filter according to claim 1 in which the corner pieces and/or the side pieces are provided with fixing apertures, the variable overall size of the fixing frame being such that the fixing apertures can be located where desired over the existing frame to enable fixing means to pass through the fixing apertures and into the existing frame in an unobstructed manner.

3. A filter according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the fixing means employed to fix the fixing frame to the existing frame are screws or nails.

4. A filter according to any one of the preceding claims in which the corner pieces and the side pieces are concave in cross section.

5. A filter according to any one of the preceding claims in which the corner pieces fit over the side pieces.

6. A filter according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the side pieces fit over the corner pieces.

7. A filter for fan operated convector heating systems, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.