Abstract:
A vent is rigidly mounted in a block wall as a substitute for a block to provide venting through the attendant wall. A lintel extends across the top of the vent and is supported by adjacent blocks. Louvered panels are attached about the exterior and interior openings of the vent. The exterior louvered panel accommodates either a flat finish or a stucco finish. The interior louvered panel can accommodate either a flat finish of the wall or a wall finished with sheet rock.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to wall vents and, more particularly, combustion air wall vents adapted for use with exterior block walls having a flat or a stucco type finish.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Prior Art  
         [0004]     During the summertime in the southwest United States and in climatologically similar areas, the temperature in an unvented enclosed garage increases to well over 100° F. Such a high temperature may cause damage or deterioration to temperature sensitive items stored or otherwise disposed within such a garage. Moreover, the high temperatures render it very uncomfortable for a person working within the garage. To alleviate this problem, it is not uncommon to install vents in one or more exterior walls of a garage to permit airflow into and out of the garage.  
         [0005]     The simplest of such vents is a louvered panel of relatively light weight material nailed or screwed to the exterior surface of a wall in juxtaposed relationship with a corresponding aperture. Such light weight louvered panels are easily removed by a person intending to commit mischief within the garage. Other more robust vents have been used in conventional walls which are designed to preclude removal from outside the wall.  
         [0006]     In the southwest, stucco type walls are a common treatment to exterior walls. Existing vents for use with such walls generally fail to accommodate the unique properties attendant the construction of stucco wall surfaces and cause the vent and surrounding stucco to be unsightly and generally unacceptably from an aesthetic viewpoint. Additionally, sealing the junction between conventional vents and the stucco is of questionable merit and water readily flows therebetween as a result of rain or other wetting of the exterior wall.  
         [0007]     Many residential garages have gas fired water heaters located therein. These heaters require make-up air to provide a continuing source of oxygen to maintain complete combustion and reduce the emission of deadly carbon monoxide. Many municipalities are redrafting or adopting building codes that require vents in an exterior wall enclosing a gas fired water heater. Generally, such vents must be within 12 inches of the ceiling and of the floor to insure an adequate source of make-up air through convection or otherwise. As mentioned above, many presently available vents for this purpose are either inadequate as security devices to preclude entry into the garage, are unsightly or compromise the integrity of the exterior wall against intrusion of elements.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     A vent is substituted for a block in a block wall to provide ventilation through exterior and interior located louvered panels. Flanges extend from the sides and bottom of the vent for imbedding in the adjacent mortar to retain the vent in place. The exterior louvered panel extends laterally a sufficient distance past the vent to cover the adjacent sections of mortar. Flanges extending from the interior edges of the vent essentially cover the mortar about the interior edge of the vent. The interior louvered panel extends past these flanges and includes a circumscribing lip covering the edges of these flanges. A lintel extends across the top of the vent and is supported by opposed blocks and covered by lintel blocks to prevent crushing of the vent. An inset screen adjacent the interior of the exterior louvered panel prevents intrusion of insects through the vent.  
         [0009]     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a labor saving easy to install combustion air vent for use with an exterior block wall having either a flat or a stucco finish.  
         [0010]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent for an exterior block wall which is impossible to remove without major damage to the exterior wall.  
         [0011]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a vent for a block wall having an insect screen retained adjacent the interior surface of an exterior louvered panel.  
         [0012]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent for a block wall which precludes unwanted intrusion therethrough.  
         [0013]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a combustion air vent in sealed engagement with a surrounding stucco wall finish.  
         [0014]     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an easily installable combustion air vent for a block wall.  
         [0015]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for installing a combustion air vent in a block wall.  
         [0016]     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     The present invention will be described with greater specificity and clarity with reference to the following drawings, in which:  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view illustrating the environment of the invention and its various parts;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the vent in place within a block wall;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along line  3 - 3 , as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates the vent itself with the interior louvered panel displaced therefrom;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross section of the vent useable in conjunction with a flat finish of the interior surface of the block wall;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view taken along line  6 - 6 , as shown in  FIG. 5 ; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a detailed cross sectional view illustrating the vent used in conjunction with a stucco finish on the exterior surface of a block wall.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated in exploded view a vent  10  for installation in a conventional block wall  12 . The length and height of vent  10  is commensurate with the equivalent standard dimensions of a block  14 . Accordingly, vent  10  is laid in the block wall in the same manner as a conventional block  14 . Because vent  10  does not have the compressive strength of a conventional block  14 , a lintel  16  extends across the top of the vent and receives support from the blocks on either side of the vent. For example, end  18  of lintel  16  rests upon block  20  and end  22  of the lintel would rest upon a block adjacent the other end of the vent. As illustrated, a lintel block  24  is used to overlie the lintel in order to accommodate the height of the lintel by the groove or slot  26  extending along essentially the center of block  24 . It is to be understood that the lintel may be attached to the vent by bolts/screws, rivets, welds, etc.  
         [0026]     As particularly shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4 , vertical and horizontal flanges, such as the right angle flanges illustrated, extend from vent  10  for engagement with the mortar separating the vent from the adjacent side and bottom blocks. One or more right angle flanges  30 ,  32  are attached to and extend from sides  34 ,  36  of vent  10 . Similarly, one or more right angle flanges  38 ,  40 , extends from bottom  42  of vent  10 . As particularly shown in  FIG. 2 , right angle flanges  30 ,  32  are imbedded in mortar  44 ,  46 , respectively. Thereby, vent  10  becomes mechanically locked with block wall  12  at its ends. Right angle flanges  38 ,  40  extend from the bottom of the vent and are imbedded in mortar disposed upon block  14 . Bottom  42  of the vent is thereby mechanically locked in place. It is to be appreciated that the right angle flanges on the sides and bottom provide additional robustness to vent  10 .  
         [0027]     As particularly shown in  FIGS. 1, 3  and  6 , an exterior louvered panel  50  provides fluid communication with the atmosphere. To prevent intrusion of insects and the like, a screen  52  is located adjacent the interior surface of the louvered panel. There are many mechanisms, including adhesives, that may be incorporated to retain the screen in place. As shown, a pair of right angle flanges, of which flange  54  disposed on the right side is illustrated, may be used to bear against the insect screen to retain it in place. This flange is secured to side  56  of vent  10  and retained in place by rivets  58 , screws, welds or the like. The flanges are positioned to bear against screen  52  to retain it adjacent the interior surface of louvered panel  50 . As particularly shown in  FIG. 6 , a flange  60  is secured to left side  62  of vent  10  and serves the same purpose as flange  54 .  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 ,  4  and  5 , the edge of vent  10 , generally corresponding with the interior surface of block wall  12 , includes a plurality of laterally extending flanges. Flange  70  extends from the upper edge of the vent a sufficient distance to cover mortar  72  between vent  10  and lintel block  24 . Similarly, flange  74 , extending downwardly from the bottom edge of the vent, extends for a sufficient distance to cover mortar  48  between the vent and block  14 . A pair of split flanges  76 ,  78  extend from the left side of vent  10  a distance sufficient to cover mortar  44  (see  FIG. 6 ). A similar pair of split flanges  80 ,  82  extend from the right side of the vent a distance sufficient to cover mortar  46 . Intermediate flanges  76 ,  78 , a further flange  84  extends in the opposite direction and includes an aperture  86 . Similarly, a flange  88  extends inwardly intermediate flanges  80 ,  82  and includes an aperture  90 .  
         [0029]     At some installations, it may be beneficial to have a source of light mounted within the vent. Electrical power to the vent may be via an EMT or PVC pipe extending through the hollow in the blocks beneath the vent and into the vent.  FIG. 6  illustrates “Knock-outs”  64 , 66  located in bottom  42  of vent  10 . Such knock-outs are removed by striking them to fracture the bands retaining the center disc. Thereafter, the end of a conduit (EMT, PVC) for the electrical conductors is penetrably inserted and secured in the conventional manner to bottom  42 . One or more light fixtures may be mounted in the vent and connected to the electrical conductors.  
         [0030]     As particularly shown in  FIG. 4 , sheet metal screws  92 ,  94  extend through apertures  96 ,  98  in interior louvered panel  100  for threaded engagement with apertures  86 ,  90 , respectively, to secure the louvered panel to vent  10 . By having flanges  84 ,  86  extend inwardly, rather than outwardly from the corresponding sides of the vent, screws  92 ,  94  will not interfere with the mortar adjacent the corresponding sides of the vent.  
         [0031]     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , adaptation of the present invention for use with a sheet rock covered interior wall will be described. Furring strips, of which bottom and side strips  110 ,  112  and  114 , respectively, are shown encircle the interior opening of vent  10 . As is conventional, further furring strips, of which strip  116  is shown, are secured to the interior surface of the block wall. Sheet rock  120 , including an aperture  122  formed therein to accommodate the opening of vent  10 , is secured in the conventional manner to the furring strips. Louvered panel  100  is secured by wood screws  124 ,  126  or the like extending through apertures  128 ,  130  in the louvered panel, which apertures are laterally outwardly displaced from apertures  96 ,  98 . These screws threadedly engage furring strips  112 ,  114 , as depicted by holes  132 ,  134 . As the screws will not penetrate these furring strips, interference with the mortar at the sides of vent  10  is precluded.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  illustrates a block wall  140  having an exterior stucco finish  142  and incorporating vent  10 . Conventional block walls have industry standard sized blocks. Vent  10 , described above with respect to  FIGS. 1-6  have a depth commensurate with the standard sized blocks. To accommodate the depth of stucco  142  on the exterior surface of block wall  140 , the depth of vent  10  is enlarged commensurate with the thickness of the stucco, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Thereby, louvered panel  50  is essentially in the same plane as exterior surface  144  of stucco  142 . Block  146  of the block wall is adjacent side  34  of vent  10  and mortar  44  is placed therebetween, as described above. Right angle flange  30  is imbedded in the mortar and thereby secures the vent in place. Similarly, right angle flanges  38 ,  40  extend downwardly into the mortar between the vent and the supporting blocks (see  FIG. 5 ). Attachment of interior louvered panel  100  is by screws engaging inwardly extending flanges  84 ,  88  of which only flange  84  is shown. Outwardly extending flange  38  extends past mortar  44 . Lip  102 , as depicted in various of the remaining drawings, extends about the exterior edge of louvered panel  100  and covers the flanges extending laterally from four sides of vent  10 , as particularly depicted in  FIGS. 5, 6  and  7 .