Replaceable foundation vent
The replaceable foundation vent has a mounting frame and a plurality of vent components, including a screen, ventilation plate, and a slider. The ventilation components are removably attachable to the mounting frame using fasteners. The mounting frame has a built in lintel, the entire frame being adapted for permanent mounting in an opening in a block, brick or frame foundation wall. Overhanging portions of the frame lintel rest atop foundation wall members laterally disposed on either side of the frame. Additional foundation wall members can be disposed on top of the lintel to seal off the initial top opening. By releasing/removing the fasteners, the vent components can easily be removed from the mounting frame for repairs to the vent when necessary.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to foundation vents, and more particularly to a replaceable ventilation vent having a permanently installed mounting frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
Foundation ventilators are required by building codes at spaced locations for moisture control among other reasons. Such ventilators preferably include a means for opening and a means for closing the air passageway so that air flow can be increased during the warm season to minimize trapped moisture inside the foundation and air flow can be minimized during the cold season to minimize heat loss during colder periods.
Foundation ventilators are usually installed in the openings provided in the foundation wall by applying mortar around the perimeter of the ventilation unit once it is positioned in the opening. Such an installation method is accompanied by many problems in that the application of mortar around the ventilation unit perimeter may not be precise, resulting in messy residue that must be cleaned up, eating up valuable construction time. Moreover, the application of mortar around joints requires a high degree of skill in the artisan.
The aforementioned installation method results in a permanent installation that defies easy repair or replacement, in that the mortar must be chipped away from the opening using hammer and chisel or the like. The very process of striking at the mortar may result in inadvertent permanent damage to the ventilation unit, instead of the repair that was sought.
Thus, a replaceable foundation vent solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe replaceable foundation vent comprises a mounting frame and a vent having a plurality of ventilation components, including a screen, a stationary ventilation plate, and a slider. The ventilation components are removably attachable to the mounting frame using fasteners. The mounting frame has a built-in lintel, the entire frame being adapted for mounting in an opening in a block, brick or frame foundation wall. Overhanging portions of the frame lintel rest atop foundation wall members laterally disposed on either side of the frame. Additional foundation wall members can be disposed on top of the lintel to seal off the initial top opening. Frame and vent function in the same manner as older styled unitarily constructed vents. By releasing/removing the fasteners, the ventilation components can easily be removed from the mounting frame for repairs to the vent when necessary.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSAs shown in
As shown in
Referring to
During the manufacturing process, the slider 40 is aligned inside front portion of ventilation plate 50. Slider panel retaining tabs 20 are welded or otherwise affixed to and extend inward from upper and lower portions of the ventilation plate 50 to slidably constrain the slider panel 40 inside the ventilation plate 50. A handle 30 is vertically disposed on the slider panel 40, the handle 30 being used to grab and slide the slider panel 40 to a desired position, thereby regulating air flow through the ventilation plate 50.
The entire frame 60 is adapted for mounting in an opening in a foundation wall having block or bricks B. Overhanging portions 90 of lintel 80 can rest atop foundation wall blocks B laterally disposed on either side of frame 60 for support. Additional foundation wall members can be disposed on top of lintel 80 to seal off the initial top opening. Frame 60 and vent 5 function in the same manner as older style unitarily constructed vents. By releasing/removing the fasteners S, the vent assembly, comprising screen 70, ventilation plate 50 and slider panel 40, can easily be removed from mounting frame 60 for repairs when necessary.
Moreover, the vent assembly 5 may be fitted with accessories, such as ventilation fans, slider control motors, bi-metallic slider control elements, solar panels or solar cells to power control elements for the vent 5, and the like.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A replaceable foundation vent, comprising:
- a substantially rectangular vent plate having a plurality of gratings, the plurality of gratings forming air ventilation passageways;
- a mounting frame adapted for permanent mounting in a foundation wall of a building, the mounting frame having a bottom wall, opposing sidewalls, and a top wall defining a rectangular vent opening, the top wall of the frame overhanging the sidewalls and extending deeper rearward than the bottom wall and the sidewalls so that the top wall of the frame defines a lintel;
- a plurality of substantially coplanar support ribs extending into the opening defined by the frame, including a bottom support rib and opposing side ribs extending from a rear edge of the bottom wall and opposing sidewalls, respectively of the frame, and a top support rib extending medially from the lintel, the support ribs forming an inwardly directed peripheral mounting flange for the vent plate, the support ribs having a plurality of bores defined therein; and
- a plurality of fasteners removably attaching the vent plate to the peripheral mounting flanges of the mounting frame, the fasteners engaging the bores.
2. The replaceable foundation vent according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners comprise threaded fasteners, the threaded fasteners engaging the bores defined in the mounting flanges.
3. The replaceable foundation vent according to claim 1, further comprising a lower flange extending downward from the bottom wall of said frame, the lower flange forming a lip adapted for aligning the bottom of said frame in mortar on supporting foundation bricks of the foundation wall.
4. The replaceable foundation vent according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a screen removably attached to a rear portion of the ventilation plate; and
- a slider slidably attached to a front portion of the ventilation plate, the slider having complementary gratings to the ventilation plate gratings, the complementary gratings regulating airflow through the ventilation plate according to a slidable position of the slider.
5. The replaceable foundation vent according to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of inwardly directed tabs disposed along a periphery of the ventilation plate, the tabs retaining the slider in slidable contact with the mounting frame.
6. The replaceable foundation vent according to claim 4, further comprising a handle affixed to and extending outwardly from the slider, the handle providing a grabbing surface for user operation of the slider.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 19, 2008
Publication Date: Sep 24, 2009
Inventor: Maxwell R. Hendricks (Central, SC)
Application Number: 12/076,542
International Classification: F24F 13/00 (20060101);