Claims
- 1. An operator for use with a damper having a frame and at least one pivotally mounted blade dimensioned to abutt said frame, said blade being movable between open and closed positions with respect to said frame, said operator comprising:
- (a) a pawl member associated with said frame,
- (b) blade positioning means for positioning said at least one blade relative to said frame, said blade positioning means having an end pivotally mounted adjacent to said frame and a free end extending to a position adjacent said pawl member; and
- (c) heat responsive means having a fixed portion mounted adjacent to said frame and a free portion positioned relative to said pawl member and said free end of said blade positioning means for retaining said pawl member and said blade positioning means in an attached position for operatively moving said blade during normal conditions, and releasing said pawl member and said blade positioning means to an unattached position for releasing said blade in response to a preselected increase in ambient temperatures.
- 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said pawl member is mounted for movement through a variety positions with respect to said frame.
- 3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said heat responsive means is mounted on said blade positioning means for pivotal movement therewith.
- 4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said blade positioning means is gravity biased away from said attached position in response to said releasing of said pawl member from said blade positioning means.
- 5. The invention of claim 3, wherein said pawl member and said blade positioning means are reassembled under said normal conditions by moving said pawl member into alignment with said blade positioning means.
- 6. The invention of claim 5, wherein said blade moves to said closed position as said blade positioning means moves from said attached position.
- 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said blade is caused to open as said blade positioning means moves into said attached position.
- 8. The invention of claim 2, wherein said pawl member is mounted on a pawl member tracking means, said pawl member tracking means being affixed to said frame for moving said pawl member through said variety of positions with respect to said frame.
- 9. The invention of claim 8, wherein portions of said blade positioning means and said pawl member tracking means further comprise means for limiting the arc of relative pivotal displacement of said blade positioning means in at least one direction.
- 10. The invention of claim 8 wherein said pawl member tracking means comprises at least one shaft journaled within a bore defined in said pawl member.
- 11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said shaft is threaded within said bore.
- 12. The invention of claim 10 wherein said tracking means comprises a plurality of shafts journaled within a plurality of bores defined in said pawl member.
- 13. The invention of claim 2, wherein said attached position is maintained under normal conditions during the movement of said pawl through said variety of positions.
- 14. The invention of claim 13, wherein movement of said pawl member through said variety of positions acts through said blade positioning means to adjust to relative position of said blade with respect to said frame.
- 15. The invention of claim 14, wherein said heat responsive means further comprises latch means for slidably interconnecting said pawl member to said blade positioning means.
- 16. The invention of claim 15 wherein said pawl member has a slot defined therein and said latch means comprises a pin for engaging the interior surfaces of said slot.
- 17. The invention of claim 1, wherein said blade positioning means comprises at least one blade positioning wing for a slidably engaging said at least one blade.
- 18. The invention of claim 17, wherein said wing comprises an arcuate, sloped portion for engaging said at least one blade along an axis which remains substantially parallel to a pivotal axis of said blade as said blade is allowed to pivot therearound during the pivotal displacement of said blade positioning means.
- 19. The invention of claim 1 wherein said heat responsive means comprises a bimetallic element.
- 20. The invention of claim 19 wherein said element is a serpentine bimetallic element.
- 21. A damper operator for use with a damper comprising a frame and at least one blade pivotally mounted on said frame for movement between opened and closed positions with respect to said frame, said damper operator comprising:
- (a) blade positioning means pivotally mounted with respect to said frame for engaging at least one blade for moving said blade between said opened and closed positions;
- (b) means for defining the arc of rotation of said blade positioning means, said arc of rotation corresponding to the movement of at least one blade in response thereto between said opened and closed positions;
- (c) a pawl member mounted for reciprocal movement with respect to said frame;
- (d) heat responsive means connecting said blade positioning means to said pawl member in response to normal conditions for retaining said at least one blade in a first position and for disconnecting said pawl member from said blade positioning means in response to increases in ambient temperature to release said blade positioning means from engagement with said blade, whereby said blade is free for unrestrained movement;
- (e) pawl tracking means for selectively moving and maintaining said pawl member through a variety of positions between said opened and closed positions, and further including a reconnection position where, under normal conditions, said heat responsive means reconnects said pawl member with said blade positioning means.
- 22. The invention of claim 21 wherein said pawl member further has at least one slot defined therein and said heat responsive means comprises latching means for, under normal conditions, receiving and engaging interior surfaces of said one slot.
- 23. The invention of claim 22 wherein said slot and said latching means are configured to enable movement of said pawl member to produce pivoting of said heat responsive means and said blade positioning means, whereby said movement of said pawl member adjusts the degree of opening of said blade with respect to said frame.
- 24. The invention of claim 23 wherein said blade positioning means comprises at least one blade positioning wing for slidingly engaging the face of said blade.
- 25. The invention of claim 24 wherein said damper comprises a plurality of blades and wherein said blade positioning means comprises a pluraltiy of wings, at least one for each blade, for slidingly engaging the faces of said blades.
- 26. A damper operator for use with a damper comprising:
- (a) a frame and two blades pivotally disposed for movement with respect to a main mounting member on said frame for movement between opened and closed positions with respect to said frame;
- (b) blade positioning means pivotally mounted with respect to said frame for engaging said blades for moving said blades between said opened and closed positions, wherein said blade positioning means further comprises blade positioning wings, one for each of said blades, for movement on generally opposing sides of said main mounting member for moving said blades towards their opened positions;
- (c) a pawl member mounted for reciprocal movement with respect to said frame; and
- (d) heat responsive means connecting said blade positioning means to said pawl member in response to normal conditions for retaining said blades in a first position and for disconnecting said pawl member from said blade positioning means in response to increases in ambient temperature to release said blade positioning means from engagement with said blades, whereby said blades are free for unrestrained movement.
- 27. The invention of claim 26 wherein said blade positioning wings have substantially arcuate sloped portions, said portions being configured to engage the faces of said blades along lines substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said blades as said blade positioning means is pivoted with respect to said blades.
- 28. The invention of claim 27 wherein said blade positioning means pivots within a plane which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotating of said blades.
- 29. The invention of claim 28 wherein said pawl member is reciprocally moveable along an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of said blades in the closed position.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application Ser. No. 792,525, filed May 2, 1977 entitled, "Butterfly Damper", now U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,048, dated Mar. 27, 1979, which application is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The present application is also a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application entitled "Self-Resetting, Cable Operated Translating Drive Link," Ser. No. 896,299, filed Apr. 14, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,384, dated Apr. 1, 1980, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application Ser. No. 779,044, filed Mar. 18, 1977 entitled, "Telescoping Heat Responsive Releasing Means," now U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,292, dated July 11, 1978, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application entitled, "Resettable Heat Actuatable Fire Link," Ser. No. 676,483, filed Apr. 13, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,570, dated Aug. 16, 1977, as well as a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application entitled, "Clutch Motor For Use In Resettable Fire Damper," Ser. No. 676,413, filed Apr. 13, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,304, dated Aug. 9, 1977, which applications are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The present application is also a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application Ser. No. 764,774, filed Feb. 2, 1977 entitled, "Rotating Blade Fire Damper," now U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,646, dated Sept. 17, 1977, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 689,994, filed May 26, 1976 entitled, "Rotating Blade Fire Damper," now U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,173, dated Mar. 28, 1978, which applications are also incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The present application is also a continuation-in-part of my prior co-pending patent application entitled, "Electro-Thermal, Fire Protection Locking Clip," Ser. No. 896,237, filed Apr. 14, 1978, said application having been allowed on Mar. 28, 1980, which application is also specifically incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
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2307228 |
Nov 1976 |
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Related Publications (4)
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896237 |
Apr 1978 |
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792525 |
May 1977 |
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764774 |
Feb 1977 |
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676413 |
Apr 1976 |
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Continuations (1)
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689994 |
May 1976 |
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Continuation in Parts (3)
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896299 |
Apr 1978 |
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779044 |
Mar 1977 |
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676483 |
Apr 1976 |
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