US2569921A - Radiant heating installation - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1951 Filed Sept. 14, 1950 R. C. CASSIDY ETAL RADIANT HEATING INSTALLATION 2 Sheets-Sheet l p amwdzu ATTORNEY' Oct- 2, 1951 R. c. cAsslDY Erm. 2,559,921

RADIANT HEATING INSTALLATION Filed sept. 14, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 .ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 RADIANT HEATING INSTALLATION Robert C. Cassidy, Fairlawn, John F. Schreiber, Passaic, and Elbert De F. Tidd, Clinton, N. J., assignors to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 14, 1950, Serial No. 184,872

9 Claims.

This invention relates to radiant space heating installations, and more particularly it relates to electrical radiant heating systems which are incorporated in the ceiling or Walls of a room. This application is closely related to the Tidd et al. application Serial No. 134,949 filed December 24, 1949 for Radiant Heating Installation and covering the invention more broadly than herein. It is also closely related to the Barnes et al. application Serial No. 118,966 led September 30, 1949 for Metal Raceway, and covering a raceway per se.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved means for assembling electrical radiant heating panels in the ceiling or wall of a room which.permits latitude in the placement of such panels and which provides a decorative enclosure or support for such panels.

Another object is the provision of an electrical radiant heating panel installation in which the electrical connections to the panels are protected within an enclosure constructed to allow Vfor adjustable positioning of such enclosure with respect to the panels.

Still another object is to provide an improved enclosure for electrical heating panel connections and wiring, which can be associated with such panels conveniently, which permits easy access to such wiring, and which facilitates subsequent finishing of the surfaces of the room in which it is installed.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be made evident in the following detailed description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view, with parts in section, of part of the ceiling of a room (viewed from below) formed of heating panels assembled with a cove raceway in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on a larger scale of a cove of the room taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing details of attachment of electrical wiring to the heating panels;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through a connector block taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cove raceway of Fig. 2 in which electrical connections to the heating panels are made.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the room ceiling represented therein comprises a row of electrical radiant heating panels I0, arranged adjacently and extending from either side of the room so as to cover a major part of the ceiling and display an unobtrusive, flush appearance. These panels may be of the general character disclosed in the U. S. Patent 2,314,766 to A. W. Bull et al., and include a film or layer of electrically conducting composition, such as a dispersion of conductive carbon black in a rubber composition, embedded in an electrically insulating material, such as a composition building board. The panel itself forms no part of the instant invention and is of a type now available on the market.

Each panel I0 contains such an electrical heating element comprising a layer or lm of electrically conductive rubber II embedded in the interior of a composition building board and spaced from the marginal edge thereof to leave non-conducting marginal areas I2Y at the ends and sides of the panel through which nails or screws may be driven without fear of shorting or grounding the electrical circuit. Embedded feed tapes I3 and I4 lof conductive material, such as copper or aluminum tapes, engage the longitudinal edges of the conductive layer II in electrical contact therewith for passing electric current therethrough.

The panels IU are fastened to ceiling beams I5 running transversely of the room, as by means of spaced nails or screws I6 passing through the non-conductive marginal areas I2 of the panel into the beams. In order that the panels may present a perfectly smooth, iiush appearance suited for the application of plaster, paint, Wall paper, cloth, or other desired decoration, the marginal edges of the panels through which the o screws I2 are passed are provided with a slight recess I'I, and a thin iinishing strip I8 of paper, cloth, cement, or other suitable material is applied to the recess I1, as indicated most clearly in the broken away portion of Fig. 1, thereby covering neatly the joint I9 between adjacent panels as well as the heads of the screws I 6.

For the purpose of associating electrical feed lines with the panels IIJ there is provided along at least one edge of the row of -panels a raceway, such-as an angular metal channel 20, suitably made in the decorative form of a cove molding as shown in perspective in Fig. 4. The remaining edges of the panels are similarly covered with a cove molding 2| of similar external appearance, which however need not necessarily be a raceway capable of accommodating electrical connections.

The angular raceway 20, as shown in perspective in Fig. 4, has a back wall 22 adapted to rest against the side wall of the room and a top wall 23 adapted to rest against the ceiling. The raceway is adapted to fit in the corner of the room under a marginal edge of the panel I at the junction of the wall and ceiling of the room, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. The top wall 23 of the raceway contains elongated spaced openings 24 (Fig. 4) which may be cut therein at the time of manufacture'of the raceway, or which may be provided for in the form of knockouts. As will appear hereafter, the purpose of the openings 24 is to provide for an electrical connection to the panel and they are. of a-length to4v provide for adjustment of the panel electrical connections longitudinally alongrthelength of the raceway.

The raceway may be fastened to studs of the room wall by screws 2B' (Figs: l and 2) passing through holes 2Iv (Fig 4) inthe back wall 22 of the raceway. As represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the studs 25 of the room may be 4covered with a wall board 28, or with conventional lathing and a layer ofV plaster 28;

A horizontal ledge 'r (Figs. 2.and 4) projects from the bottom of the' rear wall 22 ofthe' racewayl 20, serving as a guide for. application of the layer of plaster 29 tothe wall ofthe room. A vertical ledge 3| (Figs. 2 and 4) depends from the front edge of the topA wall 231 of' the raceway 2G, such ledge also serving as a guide for the application of' aY layer of.' plaster (not shown) or other covering to the ceiling, if 'suchV isV desired.

Extending upwardly fromthe lower plaster ledge 30 ofthe raceway 20.` is an extension or flange SZ'terminating in a reversely curvedrlipe (Figs. 2 and 4). The lowerfmarginof the Vertical plaster ledge 3Iof theiraceway also has a curved lip 34. The two lips 33 and34serve tofrictionally engage a cover plate carryingcurvedv lips 35 and 31 on its marginal edgeswhich cooperate with lips 33V and 34 to hold the' coverV plate 35 in place when it is snappedi on the raceway. This forms with the'walls 22 an'd23 ofthe raceway a complete enclosure for the' electrical wiring and connection therein.L The snap-on cover plate 35 may have any desired suitable ornamental shape.

Terminal blocks` 38 and 38- (Fig. l) are provided near two of the corners'of thepanel I9 for the purpose of making the necessary electrical connections to the feeding' tapes I3 and I4 which supply current to the conductive heating-flayer'i-I within the panel. The'k terminal blocksY 33' and 39 are made of electrically insulating material and extend from the front' surfacevofthepanel l0 into the raceway 2U`through' the openings 24 provided in the top wall' 23of'the' raceway for this purpose. The openings 24 are made considerably elongatedwith' respect to the terminal blocks, such openings preferably being at least several times longer. than the terminal blocks. In this way, after the-panels carrying'the terminal blocks are atta'ched to the ceiling',v the fitting of sections of the raceway over the marginal edge of the panel is greatly'f/acilitated, sinceV such elongated openings" permit considerable latitude in aligning the openings in the raceway with the terminal'blocks;

Each terminal block'is fastened. to' the panel I!! by means ofA two rivets' 4D passingl through diagonal corners of theV blocks as indicatedV in Figs. 2 and 3. The outerface of eachterminal block has a shallow recessed' portion 4I accommodating a terminal strip ofconductive material, such as a copper strip'4 42, through which connecting screws 43'andV 44 areV threaded for the purpose of fastening-:electrical wiringto theriterminal strip. Recesses 45 ln the terminal block permit passage of the screws. For the purpose of making electrical contact between the terminal strip 42 and the feeding tapes I3 and I4 embedded in the panel I3, an end length of each tape, such as tape I3, is brought to the surface of the panel under the terminal block and passes into engagement with the back face of the terminal block. The head of a small metal bolt 4S passing through a hole in the center of the block engages the strip I3, and serves to electrically connect it to the terminal strip 42, which is secured to the bolt 45 by means of a nut 41.

After the panels IS are assembled in position in the ceiling as shown in Fig, l and the raceway 2t is applied to the cove, electrical connections may be made to the terminal block assemblies 38 and 3S extending through the openings 24 in the top of the raceway by means of insulated electrical wires 4S and 49 connected to terminal screws 43 and 44 on the terminal blocks. In this way the series of heating panels I is electrically connected in parallel across the feed line. Each terminal block is provided with a cover plate 50(Figs. 2 and 3) secured thereto by means of a screw 5I for the purpose of enclosing the electrical connections. Holes 52 in the sides of the cover permit passage of the supply wires to the terminal screws, The cover plates 5i) Aare shown removed in Fig. 1 to reveal the electrical connections.

In operation, electric current fed to the terminal block 38 by the wire 48 passes through the connecting strip 42 in the face of the block and thence through the bolt 45 into the feeder tape I3, whence itis distributed along the length of one edge of the conductive rubber heating element II within the panel lll. The current fiows across the conductive rubber layer II, thereby producing the desired radiant heat by virtue of the resistance of the rubber layer to the flow of current. The radiant heat thus produced is emitted from the surface of the panel and is absorbed by occupants and objects in the room. rlhe current then fiows from the conductive rubber layer I I into the oppositely placed feeder tape I4, whence it passes through terminal block 39 into the return wire 49 to complete the electrical circuit.

The electric wires 48 and 49 may be passed into the raceway 2G through an opening`53y (Fig. 1) in the top wall thereof, such opening conveniently Abeing provided in a relatively short connecting section or terminal box section 54 of the raceway. The connection section 54 of the raceway may have the same external configuration as the main portion of the raceway and may be connected thereto by short internal bridging members 55 suitably fastened frictionally, or by screws (not shown) or other means.

The usual metallic cr non-metallic sheathed cable (not shown) may be employed to bring the wires 4S and 49 from the main electric circuit of the building up to the opening 53 in the raceway, such cable being fastened at the opening 5S by the usual conventional connector assembly (not shown). The electrical heating circuit includes the usual thermostat and switch (not shown) for controlling the heating to provide the desired room temperature and for turning the system on and olf.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the invention provides a radiant heating installation in which electrical connections can be made to the heating elements conveniently, it being unclosed Within a protective raceway.

The form of the raceway may be easily adapted to application to various points on a room surface, Whether cna wall or a ceiling, and the raceways -m'ayI-b'edesigned either to be inconspicuous so lthat the heating installation is not evident on casual 'observation or the raceways may have an ornamental appearance to t in with the decorative or architecturalscheme of any particular ty'pe of room or building. The raceway may be manufactured in standard lengths which vare cut ltoksize, if necessary, and assembled together at Athe time of installation.

The provision of terminal blocks on the panels in the manner described makes it possible to yconnect conveniently virtually any desirednumber of `panels with the disclosed wiring system, and 'permits great flexibility in the placement or disposition of the panels, which may be applied to the entire surface of a room, or applied at spaced points on the surface of a room, depending on the effect desired. The provision of greatly elongated openings on the raceway for receiving such terminal blocks permits easy alignment of the raceway with the tenminal blocks, with consequent convenience of installation.

'I'he plaster ledges on the raceway facilitate finishing of the room surface after the installation is made. The system is equally adaptable to use in new constructions, or to installation in f old buildings without destroying or extensively reconstructing the present walls or ceilings.

The raceway installation assembly is particularly well adapted to ceiling installations, which represent the most advantageous manner for utilizing radiant heating, because the radiant heat is normally most effectively distributed from the ceiling without undersirable convection effects. Placement of the raceway in a cove of the ceiling permits installation of full ceiling coverage in such a way as to produce an unobtrusive appearance.

Inspection of the wiring for possible defects, or repair or replacement of the Wiring is easily accomplished because access to the wiring is had by simply removing the cover of the enclosing raceway.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a radiant heating panel having connector blocks projecting from a surface thereof and of definite size and denitely located relative to each other and to the edges of said panel. of a raceway body including a top wall to engage the same surface of the panel as that from which the connector blocks project, said top wall having openings spaced according to the spacing of the connector blocks and oversize relative to the latter ywhereby said raceway body may be assembled over the connector blocks even though the centers of said connector blocks and openings are in staggered relation, said connector blocks extending into the interior of the raceway body and the panel closing the unoccupied areas of the openings.

2. In a radiant heating system in combination, a radiant heating panel having two connector blocks projecting from a surface thereof at a substantial distance apart and disposed near one end of the panel, a wire receiving raceway having a topy wall to engage the surface of the panel from lwhich said blocks project and having openings in said top wall to receive said blocks, such open.- ing being Wider than a block and several times longery than a block so that the raceway can be vmoved a substantial distance in the direction of its length while the blocks are in said openings, and means for securing the raceway in place so thaty it contacts the lower face of the panel with the blocks extending into the raceway.

' 3. In'a radiant heating system in combination,

ya radiant heating panel having two connector yblocks projecting froma surface thereof at a substantial distance apart and disposed near one end ofthe' panel, a wire receiving raceway having a rtop wall to engage said surface and an open face and also having openings in said top wall to receive the blocks, said openings being wider than a block and considerabiy longer than a block so 'that the raceway can be moved a substantial distance in the direction of its length with the "blocks in said openings, means for securing the 'raceway in place so that it contacts the lower face of the panel with the blocks extending into the raceway, and a closure for said open face.

4. In a device of the kind described, the com- 'bination with a radiant heating ceiling panel 'having connector blocks projecting from the lower fsurface thereof and of definite size and definitely 'located relative to each other and to the edges of said panel, of a raceway body including a top wallto engage the lower surface of the panel, said top wall havingfopenings much larger than said blocks and spaced according to the spacing of the connector blocks whereby said raceway body may be radially assembled over the connector blocks, said connector blocks extending into the interior of the raceway body.

5. In combination with electrical heating panels, a raceway for enclosing electrical conductors feeding a multiplicity of heating panels applied to the ceiling of a room, comprising an angular channel having a top wall and a back wall and adapted to fit at the junction of a wall and ceiling of a room, and spaced openings in the top wall of said raceway for receiving electrical connecting means protruding from the heating panels, said openings being greatly elongated to permit adjustably positioning the raceway with respect to said connecting means.

6. In combination with electrical heating panels, a raceway for enclosing electrical conductors feeding a multiplicity of heating panels applied to a surface of a room comprising a channel having two walls disposed at an angle and adapted to fit at the junction of two surfaces of a room in contact with said panels, and spaced openings in one wall of said raceway for receiving electrical connecting means protruding from the heating panels, said openings being greatly elongated to permit adjustable positioning of the raceway with respect to said connecting means.

'7. In combination with electrical heating panels, a raceway for enclosing electrical conductors feeding a multiplicity of heating panels applied to the ceiling of a room comprising an angular channel having a top horizontal wall and a vertical back wall and adapted to fit at the junction of a wall and ceiling of a room in contact with the panels, spaced openings in the top wall of said raceway for receiving electrical connecting means protruding from heating panels, said openings being greatly elongated with respect to 7 saidsconnecting means, an additional opening for passing an electrical supply line into the raceway, and a removable cover on the front of the raceway cooperating with said top wall and back wall thereof 'to constitute an essentially complete enclosure for electrical conductors therein.

8. In a radiant heating system, the combina.- tion of a metal raceway adapted to be attached to a room structure, an electrical radiant heating panel extending from said raceway, insulated terminal blocks on said panel, an electrical connecting means on each terminal block for feeding electrical energy to said panel, said raceway having block-receiving openings therein, and said terminal blocks extending into the interior of said raceway at said openings, and each opening being several times longer than said terminal block for adjusting the position f the raceway with respect to the panel.

9. In a devicefof the kind described, the combination with a radiant heating panel having connector blocks projecting from a surface thereof and of definite size and definitely located relative to each other and to the edges of said panel, of a. raceway body including a top wall to engage the same surface of the panel as that from which the connector blocks project, said top wall having oversize openings for said connector blocks whereby said raceway body may be Aassembled over the connector blocks with the blocks extending into the interior of the raceway body.

ROBERT C. CASSIDY.

JOHN F. SCHREISBER.

ELBERT DE F. TIDD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 567,248 Meek Sept. 8, 1896 690,479 Storm Jan. '7. 1902 800,053 Ayres Sept. 19, i

1,825,0 10 Murphy Sept. 29, 1931 1,878,335 Shull Sept. 20, 1932 1,914,317 Wilson June 13. 1933 1,950,634 Siebenlist Mar. 13, 1934 2,018,293 Williams et al Oct. 22. 1935 2,036,054 Knapp Mar. 31, 1938 2,038,115 Keller Apr. 2l, 1936 2,132,400 Curren Oct. 11. 1938 2,314,766 Bull et al. Mar. 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 309,093 Great Britain Apr. 5. 1939 225,310 Switzerland Apr. 16. 196 598,910 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1948

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