US 3,996,845 AGranted

Air handling grille and method of making the same

AssigneeAnemostat Products Division, Dynamics Corporation of America

InventorWilliam J. Harris

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Abstract

An air handling grille with an open rectangular frame which defines two opposing grooves each bounded by a narrow flange. A series of adjustable vanes each with opposite bearing studs is preassembled with elongated resilient bearing members. Each bearing member has a series of small openings to hold the bearing studs. The bearing members are mounted on the studs during preassembly and the members are thus entered in the grooves. Each member includes a flange which is deflected inwardly during assembly and thereafter latches the bearing members in assembled position. The flanges also tend to twist the bearing members restricting bearing openings therein and frictionally retaining the studs. A second series of vanes is supported by a pair of cross members. Spring clips secure the vanes on engagement with ends of the cross members.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An air handling grille comprising an open rectangular frame adapted to be mounted in an aperture for the passage of air therethrough, said frame having a pair of opposing parallel end sections and a pair of opposing parallel side sections, each section of at least one of said pairs of sections having an inwardly open longitudinally extending groove defined therein, said two grooves being in parallel opposing relationship across the frame opening, and at least one of said grooves having a narrow inwardly projecting flange extending along and defining one longitudinal edge thereof, a spaced parallel series of similar elongated air directing vanes each adapted for adjustment about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and each having similar oppositely projecting bearing studs with axes substantially coincident with said adjustment axis, the overall longitudinal dimension of each of said vanes including its opposite bearing studs being less than the distance between the inner edge of said flange and the base of the opposite groove, a pair of similar elongated resilient bearing members spaced apart in parallel relationship and disposed respectively in said grooves, each of said bearing members being provided with a longitudinal series of small openings each adapted to frictionally receive and adjustably hold a bearing stud, said openings being aligned across said frame opening and opposite studs of the vanes being frictionally held therein whereby to adjustably secure all of said vanes and said bearing members in assembled positions in said frame, and at least one of said bearing members having an integrally formed latching element thereon, said latching element having a free position projecting generally longitudinally outwardly with respect to said vanes whereby to extend outwardly beyond said inner edge of said flange and to latch said bearing member in said groove, and said latching element also being deflectable generally longitudinally inwardly to clear said flange inner edge.

A method for making an air handling grille comprising the steps of providing an open rectangular frame adapted to be mounted in an aperture for the passage of air therethrough and having a pair of opposing parallel end sections and a pair of opposing parallel side sections, each section of at least one of said pairs of sections having an inwardly open longitudinally extending groove defined therein, said two grooves being in parallel opposing relationship across the frame opening, and at least one of said grooves having a narrow inwardly projecting flange extending along and defining one longitudinal edge thereof, providing a spaced parallel series of similar elongated air directing vanes each adapted for adjustment about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and each having similar oppositely projecting bearing studs with axes substantially coincident with said axis of adjustment, the overall longitudinal dimension of each of said vanes including its opposite bearing studs being less than the distance between the inner edge of said flange and the base of the opposite groove, providing a pair of similar elongated resilient bearing members each having a longitudinal series of small openings each adapted to frictionally receive and adjustably hold a bearing stud, and at least one of said bearing members having an integrally formed latching element with a free position wherein it projects generally laterally from the body of the member and a deflected position wherein it is urged laterally toward the body of the bearing member, assembling said vanes and bearing members with the bearing members mounted on the studs at opposite ends of the vanes and with the latching element on said one member projecting generally longitudinally outwardly with respect to the vanes, and assembling the preassembled vanes and bearing members with the frame by entering the said bearing members in the corresponding grooves with said latching element being deflected generally longitudinally inwardly to clear said inner edge of said narrow flange and thereafter springing outwardly to latch said one bearing member in its groove and to thus secure said vanes and bearing members in assembled positions in the frame.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.