Adjustable Nozzle Assembly

Abstract

An adjustable nozzle assembly primarily for use in air ducts where it is desired to direct a localized flow of air to a predetermined position. The assembly includes a nozzle tube, a spherical member through which the nozzle tube passes and a base which allows rotation of the spherical member and attaches the assembly to the air conditioning duct. The nozzle tube includes a cutout in the side thereof so that by moving the nozzle tube inward or outward with respect to the spherical member, the cutout allows more or less flow as desired. The direction of the flow is adjusted by rotating the spherical member until the nozzle tube points in the desired directon. Predetermined clearances are also provided between the members of the assembly to prevent condensation of water vapor thereon.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In modern amusement parks, it has become common practice to air condition or ventilate areas in which customers gather as they await their turn for the particular attraction. Unfortunately sometimes these assembly areas or lines must be outside the confines of a building and in areas where the heat and humidity of the environment make waiting in such lines uncomfortable or irritating. To alleviate this problem means have been required which provide a flow of cool air to such individuals so the experience of the amusement park is a pleasurable one. It has been found that it is not necessary to provide a cool total environment for potential customers throughout their entire wait for an amusement. Instead, if occasionally as the customers advance in the line, they are provided a flow of cool refreshing air their dispostion and overall impression of the attraction is enhanced.

Ordinary air conditioning vents have proved impractical for such applications since they are usually built to diffuse cold air rather than to create a localized draft of cool air. Also, since it is difficult to determine in advance where exactly the cool air is going to flow and in many locations, the vent is relatively remote from the customers, means have been required which can be adjusted so the draft or flow can be directed by repeated trial and error. In addition, water vapor tends to condense on conventional air conditioning vents when they are used outside. If the vents are located above the line, they rust and drip on the already hot and uncomfortable customers creating an unfavorable impression.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present adjustable nozzle assembly has been designed to provide all the features required of a nozzle assembly used primarily in the out of doors to provide cool refreshing blasts of air to people moving past a predetermined area which is otherwise hot and humid. The assembly includes a base which attaches to the air conditioning duct and which frictionally maintains the position of a spherical member through which a nozzle tube passes. The nozzle tube includes a side cutout. The tube is movable axially through the spherical member to uncover the cutout therein, the more of the cutout being exposed the more flow passing through the tube. By facing the cutout in the proper direction, the flow through the duct can be made to vary with the static or velocity pressure of the flow in the duct. The connections between the base, the spherical member, and the nozzle tube are of predetermined looseness so a flow of dry, conditioned air surrounds components of the assembly to prevent condensation and dripping. Also, the components of the assembly are constructed from materials which conduct heat poorly which also helps prevent condensation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide cool refreshing air to specific locations in an exterior environment.

Another object is to provide an adjustable nozzle assembly which can direct a stream of air through a wide range of angles at various volumes.

Another object is to provide a directable air conditioning nozzle assembly which is economical to manufacture and install.

Another object is to provide an adjustable air conditioning nozzle whose direction and rate of flow can be adjusted and maintained while the nozzle is installed in an air conditioning duct.

Another object is to provide an air conditioning nozzle assembly which can operate in a humid environment and not cause undesirable condensation of water vapor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle assembly for an air conditioning unit whose flow rate can be made sensitive to either static or velocity flow within the duct.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after considering the following detailed specification which discloses preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a nozzle assembly constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 1 in a partially open condition directing flow at an angle; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 in a closed condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, number 10 in FIG. 1 denotes an adjustable nozzle assembly constructed according to the present invention. The assembly 10 is shown installed in an air conditioning duct 12 by means of its base 14. The base 14 is connected to the duct by inserting the assembly 10 through an opening 16 of proper size in the duct and then attaching the base member 14 to the duct 12 by suitable means such as the screws 18 shown. The base 14 which may be the two piece construction 14a and 14b shown, includes a central flanged portion 20 whose flanges 22 and 24 include inner surfaces 26 and 28 which define an interior spherical shape in which a spherical member 30 is retained. Friction members such as the felt pads 32 are attached to surfaces 26 and 28 as shown in FIG. 2. The felt pads 32 frictionally engage the spherical member 30 and maintain a slight air gap 34 between the spherical member 30 and the flange surfaces 26 and 28. The gap 34 allows a slight flow of cool, dry air conditioned air from the duct 12 about the lower surface 36 of the spherical member 30 to assist in preventing water vapor condensation thereon. In addition, the base 14 and the spherical member 30 are constructed from materials having relatively low heat conductivities such as high impact styrene and rigid polyethylene to also assist in preventing condensation.

A nozzle tube 38 is positioned in a diametral bore 40 through the spherical member 30. The nozzle tube 38 has a cap 42 which seals the inlet end 43 thereof and a collar 44 fixedly attached to the opposite outlet end 45 of the nozzle tube 38. The collar 44 which is slightly larger in outer diameter than the tube 38, fits about the tube 38 to form the end of the nozzle portion thereof. The outer diameter of the tube 38 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the diametral bore 40 so that slight gaps 46 and 47 of about a sixteenth of an inch are present about the tube 38 where it is restrained by the spherical member 30. These gaps allow flow of cool dry air about the tube 38 and like the gap 34, assist in preventing condensation on the assembly 10. The nozzle tube 38 also includes a side cutout 48 which extends just less than 180.degree. about the upper portion thereof. The cutout 48 is the inlet to the nozzle tube 38. By moving the tube 38 inward or outward with respect to the spherical member 30, the amount of the cutout 48 exposed within the duct 12 can be varied to vary the flow of air that passes through the nozzle assembly 10 from zero to full flow. This is shown in FIG. 3 wherein the cutout is only partially extending above the spherical member 30. When it is desired to turn off all flow through the nozzle assembly 10, the nozzle tube 38 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the cutout 48 is completely enclosed within the spherical member. The cap 42 is slightly larger in diameter than the tube 38 and its bottom lip surface 49 acts against the spherical member 30 to block the flow that would normally pass through the gap 47. The surface 49 also restricts the distance the nozzle tube can be moved away from the duct 12.

The tube 38 is maintained in any desired position by means of a set screw 50 which is mounted in a collar 51 fixedly attached to the spherical member 30 through which the nozzle tube 38 passes. Discontinuities such as ribs 52 can be included on the inner surface of the collar 51 opposite the set screw 50 to assist in maintaining the gap 46. The collar 51 also includes an abutment surface 53 which contacts a facing abutment surface 54 on the nozzle collar 44. The surfaces 53 and 54 restrict the distance the nozzle tube 38 can be moved toward the duct 12 yet enable the cutout 48 to be exposed fully. Like the base 14 and spherical member 30, the tube 38, collars 51 and 54, and cap 42 are constructed from non-corroding, poor heat conducting materials to eliminate condensation and rust.

The flow through the nozzle assembly 10 can be made responsive to the static and/or velocity pressure of the conditioned air in the duct 12. By facing the cutout 48 into the direction of flow within the duct 12, the nozzle assembly 10 is made responsive to velocity pressure. Indicator means such as a bead 56 are provided on the nozzle tube 38 in a position normally visible when the assembly 10 is installed in the duct 12 so that during installation or adjustment it is possible to face the cutout 48 in the desired direction.

The direction in which the nozzle tube 38 points is generally the direction in which the blast of cool air will flow as shown by arrow 58 and this is adjusted by rotating the spherical member 30 with respect to the base member 14, as shown by arrows 60, so the outlet end 45 points in the desired direction. The felt pads 32 frictionally maintain the spherical member in the selected position.

Thus there has been shown and described a novel adjustable nozzle assembly which fulfills all of the objects and advantages sought therefor. Many changes, alternations, other alterations, and applications of the subject adjustable nozzle assembly will become apparent after considering this specification and the accompanying drawing. All such changes, modifications, variations, other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable nozzle assembly for use in conjunction with a duct, said assembly including:

a base for attaching said assembly to the duct, said base including interior semi-spherical flanges which extend outwardly therefrom;

a generally spherical adjustment member positioned within and retained by said semi-spherical flanges, said adjustment member being open at opposite ends to define a diametral bore therethrough; and

a nozzle tube positioned in said diametral bore, said nozzle tube being sealed at a first end and open at the opposite end thereof and having an open side portion adjacent said first end, whereby said nozzle tube is movable within said adjustment member to expose said open side portion and said adjustment member is rotatable within said base so said opposite end of said nozzle tube can be pointed in a desired direction.

2. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said base includes:

a first base member having an interior semi-spherical flange extending within the duct; and

a second base member which mates with said first base member having an interior semi-spherical flange extending away from the duct.

3. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 2 wherein said base includes:

friction members mounted on said semi-spherical flanges in position to engage and frictionally retain said adjustment member in the desired position, said friction members being spaced apart and spacing said adjustment member from said semi-spherical flanges to form a gap, whereby said gap enables a limited flow over said adjustment member to prevent condensation thereon.

4. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said adjustment member includes a collar about the diametral bore at the end thereof away from the duct, said collar including retention means which maintain desired relative positions of said nozzle tube and said adjustment member.

5. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 4 wherein said collar has an inner cylindrical surface of a diameter larger than the outer diameter of said nozzle tube whereby a gap is defined therebetween to enable a limited flow over said nozzle tube to prevent condensation thereon.

6. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 5 wherein said collar has a inner cylindrical surface with discontinuities extending therefrom to abut said nozzle tube to assist in maintaining said gap.

7. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 5 wherein said defined diametral bore has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of said nozzle tube whereby a second gap is defined between said diametral bore at the end thereof in the duct to enable a limited flow over said nozzle tube when said open side portion is completely exposed and completely not exposed in said duct, said limited flow preventing condensation.

8. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said nozzle tube includes a cap on said first end thereof to seal it, said cap having a greater outer diameter than the diameter of said defined diametral bore and having an abutment surface facing said adjustment member which abuts said adjustment member to seal said second gap and prevents the withdrawal of said nozzle tube from said adjustment member.

9. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 4 wherein said nozzle tube includes a nozzle collar on the end thereof away from the duct, said nozzle collar and said adjustment member collar having facing abutment surfaces which engage when said open side portion is exposed to prevent said nozzle from being inserted further in said duct.

10. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said nozzle tube includes indicia on the end thereof away from the duct, said indicia indicating the direction said open side portion is facing.

11. The nozzle assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said base, said adjustment member and said nozzle tube are constructed from materials which conduct heat poorly and which are essentially non-reactive with water.