Air-driven ceiling fan

Abstract

An air-driven ceiling fan uses air from the duct work system of a home such as the central air-conditioning system to harness that air flow and drive a ceiling fan having a plurality of blades which are spaced from the ceiling and upon a common shaft in a horizontal plane. Air flow through the duct work drives a squirrel cage blower which is mounted about a vertical axis so that air flow through the duct work also drives the squirrel cage blower and the ceiling fan.

What is claimed as invention is: 
     
       1. An air driven ceiling fan apparatus comprising: a. a housing which is positioned adjacent an opening in the ceiling of a room;   b. duct work means positioned above said opening and communicating with said opening for providing air flow through the opening into the room defined along an air flow path;   c. a vertical drive shaft rotatably connected to the housing and extending downwardly into the room;   d. blower means disposed in the housing and on the defined air flow path, being connected to said shaft, to receive air flow from the duct work means for rotating the shaft, the blower means including a plurality of spaced apart vanes which surround the opening so that air flow between the duct work means and the room passes through the vanes before entering the room;   e. a hub connected to the lowermost portion of the shaft for rotation therewith; and   f. a plurality of .[.horizonally.]. .Iadd.horizontally .Iaddend.disposed pitched fan blades, spaced radially about the hub and extending therefrom, the fan blades being spaced a vertical distance below the ceiling lower surface whereby air flow from the duct work means dispensing from the blower means thereby .[.driving.]. .Iadd.drives .Iaddend.the pitched fan blades.   
     
     
       2. The ceiling fan of claim 1 wherein the fan blades rotate in a horizontal plane spaced from the room ceiling. 
     
     
       3. The ceiling fan of claim 1 wherein the blower means is a cylindrical squirrel cage blower and the shaft connects to and rotates with the blower means at the center of rotation of the squirrel cage blower. 
     
     
       4. The ceiling fan of claim 1 wherein the blower means comprises a rotatable circular plate and a plurality of radially spaced apart vertical vanes attached at the lower ends to the periphery of the plate which in combination cover the opening, defining therewith an interior receptive of air flow from the duct means and vanes surrounding the opening. .Iadd. 
     
     
       5.  An air-driven fan apparatus comprising: (a) a housing;   (b) means for positioning the housing adjacent an opening in the ceiling of a room, the opening having duct work means positioned thereabove, the duct work means communicating with the opening for providing air flow through the opening into the room along an air flow path;   (c) blower means disposed in the housing to receive air flow from the duct work means, the blower means including a plurality of spaced-apart vanes which surround the opening so that air flow between the duct work means and the room passes through the vanes before entering the room, the vanes being shaped and positioned such that the blower means rotates when air flows from the duct work means through the vanes into the room; and   (d) means to direct the air flow laterally out of the blower. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the blower means is a cylindrical squirrel cage blower. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:   the blower means includes a rotatable circular plate; and   the vanes are vertical, radially spaced apart, have lower ends, and are attached at their lower ends to the periphery of the plate. .Iaddend.