US3228644A

US3228644A - Radiator hanger

Info

Publication number: US3228644A
Application number: US236241A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Sand
Original assignee: Vulcan Radiator Co
Current assignee: VULCAN RADIATOR Corp A CORP CONNECTICUT
Priority date: 1962-11-08
Filing date: 1962-11-08
Publication date: 1966-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-11

Description

Jan. 11, 1966 R. H. SAND 3,228,644

RADIATOR HANGER Filed Nov. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. floss/ 7 6. 52M

Z/M ,zz gap ATTORNEY) Jan. 11, 1966 R. H. SAND RADIATOR HANGER Filed Nov. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I United States Patent 3,228,644 RADIATOR HANGER Robert H. Sand, Canton, Conn., assignor to The Vulcan Radiator Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Ionnecticut Filed Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,241 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-233) This invention relates to a supporting structure for radiators and more particularly to a hanger for finned tube radiators of the type commonly hung on a vertical support such as the wall of a room.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a radiator hanger which will permit rapid and efficient installation of finned tube radiators on a vertical supporting surface and which will permit expansion and contraction thereof upon heating and cooling without applying strain upon the hanger.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hanger for finned tube radiators adapted to accommodate the expansion and contraction thereof on heating and cooling without danger of injuring or damaging the fins and without the usual noises accompanying such expansion and contraction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hanger which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be installed with a minimum of labor.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a radiator hanger adapted to accommodate movement of the finned tube element caused by expansion and contraction thereof upon heating and cooling, through a sliding movement of the hanger rather than a rocking movement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hanger which may be adjusted after the finned tube element has been installed thereon to provide the desired pitch of the element.

Further objects of the invention are to provide such a hanger which is light in weight, strong in construction, adaptable for receiving different sizes of finned elements and which will also be out of sight after installation of the radiator cover.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments of the invention, and such embodiments will be described; but it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

FIG. 1 is a view in vertical section of a radiator enclosure showing the hanger of the present invention in side elevation;

FIG. 2 is an elevational front view of a portion of the radiator unit with the cover and radiator element removed showing the hanger in front elevation;

FIG. 3 is an elevational front view of a portion of the back panel of the radiator enclosure with the hanger bar removed;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2 illustrating one form of the hanging means for the sliding cradle;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating a modified form of my improved hanger;

' FIG. 6 is an elevational view of said modified form with the radiator enclosure and radiator element removed therefrom;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of said modified form, partly in section, taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 6 showing the hanging means for the modified form of my invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the fastening nut used with the modified form of the hanger shown in FIGS. 5 through 8; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the fastening bolt used with both forms of my hanger shown.

In the form of my invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings, an enclosure for a Wall mounted, finned tube radiator is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a removable front cover 12 and a wall panel 14. The wall panel is adapted to be mounted against the surface of the wall of a room and is formed with a forwardly projecting, longitudinally extending, V-shaped bead 16 as shown. A plurality of spaced, T- shaped openings 18 are provided in the bead with their upper or horizontal portions in the upper side of the said bead above the apex 20 thereof, whereby to form supporting

side portions

22, 22 in the lower side of the bead 16.

The supporting members for the finned tube element of the radiator unit each include a hanger bar 24 which is provided with a T-shaped upper end portion 26. The upper end portion is adapted to be inserted into and received by one of the T-shaped openings 18 whereby

lateral projections

28, 28 formed on the end portion 26 will rest upon the back surfaces of the supporting

side portions

22, 22 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lower edges of the openings 18 are located on the wall panel 14 to permit the upper rear surfaces of the hanger bar 24, when in operative position, to rest against the lower front surface of the panel 14, and also to permit the lower rear surface of the bar to rest against the surface of the wall upon which the wall panel has been mounted.

In accordance with the present invention, a hanger clip 30 is nonrotatably mounted upon the hanger bar for vertical adjustment thereon by a bolt 32 which extends through a longitudinal slot 34 in the bar. A conventional nut 35, threaded to the bolt, retains the clip in its adjusted position. The bolt 32 is formed with a countersunk head 37 and with side flats 378 as shown in FIG. 10, whereby it may be nonrotatably received within the slot 34 with the head flush with the rear surface of the bar to permit substantially flush mounting of the hanger bar against the wall.

The lower portion of the clip 30 extends downwardly and outwardly and terminates in a reverse bend as at 38, similarly to a hook, to provide a horizontal flange 39 to support a cradle member 40 for horizontal sliding movement thereon. The cradle 40 is preferably made from a single piece of sheet metal formed to provide a back panel 42 and opposed, forwardly extending

side panels

44, 44. The upper edge portion of the back panel is bent outwardly, similariy to a hook, to form a flange 46 adapted to be received by the clip 36 on the flange 39 for sliding movement thereon with respect to the bar 24. The hanger bar 24 is provided at its lower end with a forwardly projecting arm 54 which supports the lower edge of the cover 12 in a conventional manner.

As shown in FIG. 1, a finned radiator element 48 of conventional form, comprising a tubular conductor 49 having a plurality of spaced fins 50, is received in aligned, V-

shaped recesses

52, 52 formed in the

sides

44, 44 of the cradle. The

sides

44, 44 are adapted to fit between the spaced fins and the

recesses

52, 52 therein are designed to receive tubular conductors of varying diameters.

In the installation of a radiator unit embodying the present invention, the wall panel 14 is secured to the wall at the desired height by screws which are driven through the panel into the wall. The desired number of hanger bars 24, each having a hanger clip nonrotatably secured thereto for adjustment within the slot 34, are suspended from the wall panel 14 by inserting the upper T-shaped ends thereof into the T-shaped openings 18 so that the

lateral projections

28, 28 thereon rest upon the backs of the supporting

portions

22, 22 in the lower side of the V-shaped bead. The hanger bar may then be swung downwardly into position against the front surface of the wall panel 14 and against the wall. Preferably, the hanger bar is then also screwed directly to the wall to provide additional support for the finned element carried thereby and rigidity for the cover 12 secured at its lower edge to the arm 54 of the hanger bar by a screw 54 as shown.

After the bar 24 has been positioned against the wall, the cradle 40 is mounted on the clip 30 by rotating the flange 46 into engagement with the reverse bend portion 38 and upon the flange 39, as shown. After positioning the cradle on the clip, the radiator element may be mounted thereon, in a conventional manner, with the

side panels

44, 44 extending forwardly between the fins 50 and with the tubular conductor 49 disposed within the V-shaped recesses therein.

In the form of my invention shown in FIGS. through 10, the cradle 40-b of the hanger assembly is provided with a transverse slot 56 in the back panel 42b thereof to permit the cradle to be mounted upon the hanger bar for horizontal movement to accommodate lengthwise expansion and contraction of the radiator element 48 carried thereby. After positioning the cradle on the hanger bar with the bolt 32 nonrotatably disposed in the longitudinal slot 34 and extending through the transverse slot 56, a nut 53 is threaded to the bolt to secure the cradle in adjusted position thereon. It can be seen from FIG. 6 of the drawing that with the cradle so disposed, the axes of the longitudinal slot 34 and the transverse slot 56 extend substantially at right angles to each other.

As the cradle must be freely moveable horizontally and yet be retained in a fixed, vertical position on the bar 24, the nut 53 is provided with a reduced, inner terminal portion 60 of cylindrical configuration forming an axially extending annular bearing surface 62 thereon terminating in a shoulder 64 as shown in FIG. 9. The reduced portion is formed with an outside diameter greater than the width of the slot 34 whereby the bolt 32 will be securely retained in its adjusted position in the slot 34 with the inner face of the reduced portion bearing against the front surface of the bar 24. The diameter of the reduced portion, however, is less than the width of the slot 56, thereby permitting the cradle to slide horizontally on the bearing surface 62 between the shoulder 64 and the bar 24. It can be seen that the nut 58, therefore, provides a bearing surface adapted for vertical adjustment within the slot 34 upon which the cradle 40-h is adjustably mounted upon the bar 24 for generally horizontal sliding movement to accommodate expansion and contraction of the finned radiator element supported thereon.

It is obvious that in both forms of the present invention the cradle is adapted for lateral, sliding movement relative to the hanger bar whereby the finned tube radiator element carried by the cradle may expand and contract upon heating and cooling without ranger of bending or otherwise damaging the fragile fins, and without the usual noises commonly associated with such expansion and contraction. Either form of the invention also permits vertical adjustment of the cradle after the element has been mounted thereon whereby the most eflicient pitch for the element may be obtained to insure maximum operating efficiency of the radiator. Merely loosening the nut 36 or the nut 58, as the case may be, permits the cradle to be adjusted vertically within the slot 34. As in either case, the nut is readily accessable when the tubular element is disposed within the recess 52, such adjustment may be made quickly, easily and accurately.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a radiator unit, including a radiator element, and an enclosure therefor having a wall panel adapted to be secured to a wall, means for supporting a radiator element including said wall panel, a hanger bar, cooperative means on said Wall panel and said hanger bar connecting said bar to said wall panel, a cradle having a back panel and a pair of spaced side members extending from said back panel and adapted to support the radiator element, said back panel being disposed between the side panels, and securing means for adjustably supporting the cradle from the hanger bar, said securing means including a first supporting surface carried by and vertically adjustable on said hanger bar and a second supporting surface on said cradle cooperative with the first supporting surface and permitting horizontal movement of the cradle relative to the bar whereby the cradle may accommodate horizontal movement of the radiator element occasioned by expansion and. contraction thereof.

2. In a radiator unit, means for supporting a radiator element including a wall panel mountable upon a vertical wall, an elongated hanger bar having an elongated longitudinal opening therein, cooperative means on said wall panel and said hanger bar suspending the bar from the panel, said bar being adapted to be mounted adjacent to a wall of a room, mounting means having a supporting surface thereon carried by said bar, said mounting means including an elongated member extending through the said opening permitting vertical adjustment of said mounting means on the bar, and an element supporting member having a back panel provide-d with means thereon cooperative w-ith said mounting means for suspending said member from the hanger bar permitting horizontal sliding movement of said element supporting member relative to the bar whereby it may slidably accommodate movement of a radiator element occasioned by expansion and contraction thereof.

3. In a radiator unit, means for supporting a radiator element including an elongated hanger bar having a longitudinally extending opening therein, clip means adapted for vertical adjustment on said bar including a rearwardly extending flange formed thereon, securing means extending through the opening in the bar to secure the clip means in adjusted position thereon, a cradle having a back panel and forwardly extending supporting members thereon for receiving and supporting the radiator element, said back panel being formed with a horizontal flange on its upper edge portion received by said rearwardly extending flange on the clip for horizontal sliding movement thereon permitting horizontal sliding movement of said cradle relative to the bar whereby it may slidably accommodate movement of a radiator element occasioned by expansion and contraction thereof upon heating and cooling.

4. In a radiator unit, means for supporting a radiator element including an elongated hanger bar having a longitudinally extending slot therein, a cradle having a back panel and forwardly extending supporting members thereon for receiving and supporting a radiator element, said back panel being formed with a forwardly extending flange on its upper edge portion, clip means adapted for vertical adjustment on said bar including a rearwardly extending flange on the lower edge portion thereof for receiving the first mentioned flange to permit generally horizontal sliding movement of said cradle on said clip means to accommodate movement of a radiator element caused by expansion and contraction upon heating and cooling, and fastening means extending through said slot in said bar to secure said clip means in vertical adjustment thereto.

5. In a radiator unit, means for supporting a radiator element including an elongated hanger bar having a longitudinally extending elongated opening therein and adapted to be supported adjacent to the wall of a room, an element supporting member including a back panel and forwardly extending spaced supporting members formed to receive a radiator element, said back panel being disposed between said supporting members and formed with a transversely extending elongated opening therein, said element supporting member being adapted to be adjustably positioned on said hanger bar with said openings extending substantially normal to each other, the width of the transverse opening being greater than that of the longitudinal opening and fastening means extending through said longitudinal and transverse openings to mount said element supporting member in adjusted position upon said bar, said fastening means comprising an elongated threaded member adapted to receive an internally threaded not formed with an annular bearing surface on a face thereof engageable with said transverse opening in the back panel to permit horizontal sliding movement of the element supporting member thereon relative to the bar and wall to accommodate movement 6 of the radiator element occasioned by expansion and contraction thereof.

6. Means for supporting a radiator element as set forth in claim 5 wherein the threaded member is formed with side flats whereby it is nonrotatably received by said longitudinal opening for vertical sliding adjustment therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,311,908 8/1919 Murdock 248233 2,501,147 3/1950 Tolan 248-232 X 2,578,993 12/1951 Downs 248232 2,662,747 12/1953 Trane et al 16555 3,003,732 10/1961 Sand 248232 X FOREIGN PATENTS 77,351 5/1933 Sweden.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

4. IN A RADIATOR UNIT, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A RADIATOR ELEMENT INCLUDING AN ELONGATED HANGER BAR HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT THEREIN, A CRADLE HAVING A BACK PANEL AND FORWARDLY EXTENDING SUPPORTING MEMBERS THEREON FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING A RADIATOR ELEMENT, SAID BACK PANEL BEING FORMED WITH A FORWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ON ITS UPPER EDGE PORTION, CLIP MEANS ADAPTED FOR VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT ON SAID BAR INCLUDING A REARWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ON THE LOWER EDGE PORTION THEREOF FOR RECEIVING THE FIRST MENTIONED FLANGE TO PERMIT GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID CRADLE ON SAID CLIP MEANS TO ACCOMMODATE MOVEMENT OF A RADIATOR ELEMENT CAUSED BY EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION UPON HEATING AND COOLING , AND FASTENING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT IN SAID BAR TO SECURE SAID CLIP MEANS IN VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT THERETO.