Blower wheel and method of making the same

• US 3,921,272 A
• Filed: 05/24/1974
• Issued: 11/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Brookside Corp.
• Original Assignee: Stephen W. Klonoski
• Inventors: Klonoski, Stephen W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lanham, C. W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crane, Dan C.
• Application Number:
  US05/473,124
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 29/156.8CF,513 416/178,187 113/116D
• US Class Current: 29/889.4
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/283 rotors of the squirrel-cage type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49329 Centrifugal blower or fan
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49922 by bending over projecting prongs

Abstract

A blower wheel comprising a sheet metal blade strip in a cylindrical configuration and attached at initially opposite end portions. The blade strip comprises a plurality of circumaxially spaced axially extending fluid moving blades and each blade has axially extending inner and outer edges. The strip also comprises marginal sections which are continuous and formed integrally with end portions of the fluid moving blades. Attachment is accomplished at the marginal sections and may comprise welding. A radial sheet metal member is disposed within and attached to the blade strip with the blades entered respectively in an arcuate series of circumaxially spaced blade receiving openings. The blade receiving openings extend about and embrace the blades from inner to outer edges and a retaining section is disposed outwardly of the blades adjacent the periphery of the member. Notches in the blades straddle edge portions of the blade receiving openings and secure the blades axially with respect to the sheet metal member. The associated method includes formation of the blade strip in flat form and formation of the sheet metal member with blade openings and adjacent portions bent from the plane of the member substantially to enlarge the mouths of the blade openings. Blade strip is rolled about the member, the blades entering the openings and initially opposite but now contiguous end portions of the blade strip are welded together. The bent portions adjacent the blade openings are thereafter rebent simultaneously to the plane of the member whereby to secure the blades radially and axially and to integrate the assembly.

Claims

1. A method of making a blower wheel comprising the steps of providing an elongated blade strip including a longitudinally extending intermediate section and similar and opposite longitudinally extending narrow marginal sections, said intermediate section comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending similarly angularly inclined fluid moving blades, and said longitudinally extending marginal sections of said strip including continuous transversely inwardly disposed portions formed integrally with end portions of said fluid moving blades, providing a circular sheet metal member with an arcuate series of circumaxially spaced blade receiving openings communicating with its peripheral edge, each of said openings having an adjacent corner portion of said member which includes contiguous angularly related parts of an opening edge and said peripheral edge bent out of the plane of the member whereby substantially to enlarge the mouth of the opening and a major portion of its length, Bending said blade strip about said circular member whereby respectively to enter said fluid moving blades in said enlarged blade receiving openings and thereby to form said strip to a cylindrical configuration with initially opposite end portions of said marginal sections in contiguous relationship, attaching together said contiguous end portions of said narrow marginal sections of the blade strip, and rebending said bent portions of said circular member at least approximately to the plane of said member whereby to secure said blades in their respective openings and to attach said member to said blade strip.

2. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said adjacent portions of said sheet metal member is bent from the plane thereof so as to extend approximately half way between radially displaced inner and outer edges of its associated blade receiving openings and thus to provide a broad generally V-shaped configuration at the mouth of the opening for ease of blade entry.

3. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of providing a circular sheet metal member comprises the subsidiary steps of first providing a circular sheet metal member and thereafter providing said blade receiving openings at its peripheral edge, said latter step including the formation of blade receiving openings having configurations substantially identical with the transverse cross sectional configurations of the blades.

4. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 3 wherein said step of forming said blade receiving openings includes the formation of a blade retaining section between a main portion of each said openings and the periphery of the sheet metal member, said blade retaining sections being severed to provide communication between their respective openings and the periphery of the sheet metal member and to permit bending and rebending of said contiguous angularly related parts as aforesaid.

5. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of providing said blade strip includes the formation of air moving blades with gradual arcuate transverse cross sections, and wherein said blade receiving openings are provided of like configuration.

6. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of providing said blade strip includes the formation of at least one small axial blade retaining notch in at least some of said blades, each of said blade notches opening through a blade edge and being so positioned with the blower wheel assembled as to have side edges thereof disposed adjacent and substantially in engagement with said circular sheet metal member and in straddling and axial blade retaining relationship with an end edge of a corresponding blade receiving opening therein.

7. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said blades is formed with a pair of retaining notches at opposite edges thereof, said notch edges with the blower wheel assembled being disposed in straddling and axial blade retaining relationship as aforesaid respectively adjacent and about inner and outer end edges of the respective blade openings.

8. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said adjacent portions of said sheet metal member is bent through an angle in excess of 45* from the plane of the member.

9. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said adjacent portions of said sheet metal member is bent through an angle less than 90*.

10. A method of making a blower wheel as set forth in claim 9 wherein said rebending of said bent portions is accomplished simultaneously by pressing on a side of said member opposite said bent portions and concurrently obstructing movement of said portions.