Tensioned fire damper assembly and method
AssigneePress Mechanical, Inc.
InventorsMark E. Saucier, Timothy I. Stewart, Stanley W. Szykowny
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tensioned fire damper assembly and method are disclosed. The assembly includes a damper tensioning frame for tensionably mounting a fire damper within a duct or other mounting aperture, thereby allowing substantially unrestricted thermal damper expansion into an expansion gap located between the aperture and the tensioning frame. Screw type tensioning fasteners can be employed to tensionably mount the frame, and the degree of frame tension can be regulated by using tensioning fastener bushings which limit the threadable movement of the fasteners. Additional embodiments are disclosed in which multiple dampers can be accommodated in a tensionable frame.
Claims42
A fire damper assembly for mounting within an aperture comprising:
- fire damper means for blocking air flow when a predetermined temperature is reached;
- tensionable damper framing means for framing said damper and for allowing said framing means to be tensionably mounted within the aperture, said framing means having outer dimensions sufficiently less than the dimensions of the aperture such that a thermal expansion gap is formed between at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture and said framing means when said framing means is mounted within the aperture;
- and
- frame tensioning means for tensionably mounting said framing means within the aperture and for permitting thermal expansion of the damper means.
A fire damper assembly for tensionably mounting a fire damper within an aperture comprising:
- a fire damper for blocking air flow when a predetermined temperature is reached;
- a damper tensioning frame for retaining said damper and for allowing said damper to be tensionably mounted within the aperture;
- and
- at least one frame tensioning fastener connected between said frame and an edge of the aperture for tensionably securing said frame within the aperture so that a thermal expansion gap is formed between at least a portion of the perimeter of said frame and an edge of the aperture.
A tensioned fire damper assembly comprising:
- a mounting sleeve for lining an aperture;
- a fire damper for blocking air flow when a predetermined temperature is reached;
- a damper tensioning frame for retaining said damper and for allowing said damper to be tensionably mounted within the aperture;
- at least one air foil mounted to said sleeve and abutting said tensioning frame for blocking the flow of air through said expansion gap;
- and
- a plurality of frame tensioning fasteners connected between said frame and said sleeve for tensionably securing said frame so that a perimetric thermal expansion gap is formed between said frame and said mounting sleeve when said frame is mounted in a generally concentric orientation within said aperture.
A method of tensionably mounting a fire damper within an opening comprising the steps of:
- securing a fire damper within a damper tensioning frame;
- attaching said frame within the opening at a first point;
- and
- tensionably attaching said frame within the opening at a generally opposing second point.
A fire damper mounting assembly for tensionably mounting a fire damper within an aperture comprising:
- tensionable damper framing means for framing the fire damper and for allowing said framing means to be tensionably mounted within the aperture, said framing means having outer dimensions sufficiently less than the dimensions of the aperture such that a thermal expansion gap is formed between at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture and said framing means when said framing means is mounted within the aperture;
- and
- frame tensioning means for tensionably mounting said framing means within the aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.