Radiateur de chauffage central

957,174. Air heaters; space heating radiators. J. J. G. DUTRIEUX. May 17, 1960 [May 25, 1959], No. 17372/60. Heading F4S. A space-heating radiator for a central heating plant is made of welded sheet metal plates at least one of which has upstanding ribs forming with the adjacent parts of the plate U-shaped gaps in which are disposed fins which are held in the gaps owing to elastic distortion of the fins or by separate retaining elements. The fins form open-ended ducts ensuring heating by convection but the body of the radiator may also present radiating surfaces. As shown the radiator comprises two plates 2, 3 the front plate 2 providing a substantially flat radiating surface and having upper and lower manifolds 4, and the back plate 3 having hollow ribs 5. Between the ribs 5, the plate 3 is formed with inwardly projecting flattopped bosses 8 which are tack-welded at 9 to the front plate 2. The fins 15 are formed of sheet metal elements which are welded together at 16 between their longitudinal edges prior to being fitted elastically in gaps 7 between the ribs 5. Fig. 3 shows various designs of fin, the elements of which can conveniently be nested together for storage and transport prior to being welded together in pairs. Ducts 17 promoting convection are formed between the fin elements and the ribs 5. Instead of or in addition to the friction fit, the fins may be retained by separate angle members 19, preferably fixed by screws and nuts. The ends of the ribs 5 are crimped and welded at 6. The manifolds 4 are fitted with screw-threaded mirrors 11 supported by flanged rings 12 resilient enough to compensate for any lack of alignment. Low projections such as the horizontal projections 29 may be provided on plate 2 to increase radiation. The fins need not extend the full height of the ribs and may be discontinuous to admit cooler air at several levels. In a modification, the radiating surface at the front of the radiator is extended above the tops of the ribs 5.