Adjustable regulator and lock device for ductwork damper

An adjustable regulator and lock device for a pivotally rotatable damper blade adapted for installation in an air duct, which comprises;

• a) an elongated pivot rod extending through said air duct and generally transverse to the direction of air flow in said air duct, said elongated pivot rod having said damper blade rotatably coupled thereto and being rotatably mounted in said air duct for rotation between open and closed positions of said damper blade;
• b) a plate member mounted to the outside of said air duct and generally facing an outer surface portion of said air duct, said plate member having an opening through which said elongated pivot rod extends;
• c) a lockdown member rotatably coupled to said elongated pivot rod and having a plurality of radially extending engagement devices movable into and out of engagement with correspondingly positioned mating engagement devices of said plate member to selectively fix the rotational position of said damper blade, said lockdown member being configured to always remain fixedly coupled to said elongated pivot rod such that said lockdown member always rotates simultaneously with said elongated pivot rod during use;
• d) a manually operable control device slidably positioned on said elongated pivot rod and positioned outside said plate member for ready access thereto, said control device for manually controlling the angular orientation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade;
• and
• e) a resilient device positioned between said manually operable control device and said plate member to bias said control device toward a position of engagement of said lockdown member with said plate member to fix the angular orientation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade, whereby application of force to said control device against said resilient device releases said radially extending engagement devices of said lockdown member from said plate member to permit rotation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade to a selected angular orientation.

A damper unit for pivotal attachment to a section of sheet metal ductwork having an air duct, for selectively directing conditioned air in a predetermined direction, which comprises:

• a) a metal plate member which forms a damper blade having a predetermined shape;
• b) an elongated pivot rod to which said damper blade is attached, for pivotally mounting said damper blade in said air duct for simultaneous pivotal rotation, said elongated pivot rod having a generally square cross section and defining a longitudinal pivot axis;
• c) an adjustable regulator and lock device for said damper blade, which comprises:
• i) a plate member supported adjacent and outside of said air duct, said plate member facing an outer surface portion of said air duct and having an opening through which said elongated pivot rod extends;
• ii) a lockdown member rotatably coupled to said elongated pivot rod, said lockdown member having a plurality of outwardly extending engagement devices and movable toward and away from said plate member in directions extending along said longitudinal axis, said lockdown member being configured to always remain fixedly coupled to said elongated pivot rod such that said lockdown member always rotates simultaneously with said elongated pivot rod during use;
• iii) a plurality of correspondingly positioned, configured and dimensioned mating engagement devices associated with said plate member, said engagement devices of said plate member adapted to engage with said engagement devices of said lockdown member when said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade are rotated to a selected angular position, and said engagement devices of said lockdown member are placed into engagement with said engagement devices of said plate member to prevent rotation of said elongated pivot rod and thereby fix the angular orientation of said damper blade;
• iv) a manually operable control device slidably positioned on said elongated pivot rod and located outside said plate member for ready access thereto, said control device for manually controlling the angular orientation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade;
• and
• v) a resilient device positioned between said manually operable control device and said plate member to bias said control device toward a position of engagement of said lockdown member with said plate member to fix the angular orientation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade, whereby application of force to said control device against the force of said resilient device releases said radially extending engagement devices of said lockdown member from said plate member to permit rotation of said pivot rod and said damper blade to a selected angular orientation.

Ductwork for directing conditioned air in a predetermined direction, which comprises:

• a) at least a section of sheet metal ductwork having an air duct having a generally tubular configuration and a generally circular cross-section;
• b) a damper unit for pivotal attachment to a section of said air duct, for selectively directing conditioned air in a predetermined direction, which comprises:
• i) a metal plate member which forms a damper blade having a predetermined shape;
• ii) an elongated pivot rod having a generally square cross-section rotatably coupled with said damper blade;
• iii) an adjustable regulator and lock device which comprises:
• A) a plate member positioned adjacent and outside of said air duct, said plate member facing an outer surface portion of said air duct and having an opening through which said elongated pivot rod extends;
• B) a lockdown member rotatably coupled to said elongated pivot rod, said lockdown member having a plurality of engagement devices and being movable toward and away from said plate member in directions along said longitudinal axis, said lockdown member being configured to always remain fixedly coupled to said elongated pivot rod such that said lockdown member always rotates simultaneously with said elongated pivot rod during use;
• C) a plurality of correspondingly positioned, configured and dimensioned mating engagement devices associated with said plate member, said engagement devices of said plate member adapted to engage with said engagement devices of said lockdown member when said lockdown member and said damper blade are rotated to a selected angular position, and said engagement devices of said lockdown member are placed into engagement with said engagement devices of said plate member to prevent rotation of said elongated pivot rod and thereby fix the angular orientation of damper blade;
• D) a manually operable control device slidably positioned on said elongated pivot rod and positioned outside said plate member for ready access thereto, said control device being rotatably coupled with said elongated pivot rod for manually controlling the angular orientation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade;
• and
• E) a resilient device positioned between said manually operable control device and said plate member to bias said control device toward a position of engagement of said lockdown member with said plate member to fix the angular orientation of said elongated pivot rod and said damper blade, whereby application of force to said control device against the force of said resilient device releases said engagement devices of said lockdown member from said plate member to permit rotation of said control device, said pivot rod and said damper blade to a selected angular orientation.