TECHNICAL ~IELD 1177~68 This invention pertains to an enclosure providing a controlled environment and access to equipment contained therein.
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~ i'7~S6 - BACKGROUND ART
Single or multiple component ele~tronic data pro-cessing apparatus or o~her specialty equipment used separately or in support or cooperatlon with a manual transaction system or automatic transaction equipment requires, normally, a closely controlled environment in which to runction efri-ciently over a sustained period of time. This environment has been provided usually, heretofore, by placing all Or an organization's data processing apparatus except9 ror example, remotely disposed terminals and the like, in a single large 1~ room where overall conditions ar~e maintained substantially uniform. To accompllsh this i:s expensive, the location Or the equipment ~s often inconvenient and an accommodation to neces-sity rather than ef~cient utilization; and a power failure or the like will necessitate, in the absence Or an auxiliary power supply~ a shut-down Or an organization's entire elec-tronlc data processing system; and in modern terms where banks are concerned, for example, will cause a closing o~ the entire business enterprise, as well as other enterprises dependent upon it. This vulnerability exists as well with sensitive 2Q government installations and will ordinarily disconnect and disarm the protective systems and apparatus used to secure the electronic data processing system itselr against injury.
Physical security Or the electronic data processing apparatus or other transaction process~ng eq~iprnent against vandalism and misuse is also a material concern. Resort has been had to automated equipment mounted in unprotected stations on building exteriors, for example,in the belier that they were invulnerable to harm or unauthori2ed exploitation. This assessment has proven to be in error as these devices have ~o been frequently pummeled and damaged with expensive equipment replacement costs.
In addition, insorar as devices of this sort are automatic paying or receiving machines coming under the auth-ority o~ governmental regulations~ sucb as those in the United `.~
. -3a- 1~7~568 States of America of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, they are required to meet the several regulatory construction requirements.
- '' ': '' _lJ_ ~7~5~8 of Regulation P (12 C~R 216); and, once lnstalled, have not been capable of ready removal or relocation.
Electronic data processing equipment has character-istically been disposed in cabinets about which snap-on metal panels are mounted that serve few functions other than aesthe-tically covering the data processing components of the system and, in some instances, protecting the contained equipment from incidental damage from light or casual impact.
The shelves and support members within the cabinet upon which the foregoing components rest is usually made of heavy gauge metal and adapted solely to support the compo-nents within the cabinet. Cables attached to the components, whether employed to deliver power or to transmit communica-tions signals to and from the components, have characteris-tically been partially fastened in the cabinet interior with-out any particular order or organization.
Further, the cabinet skin or covering tend to lead to undersired confinement at high temperatures within Limited areas about the equipment components, since these components of the cabinet characteristically generate a considerable amount of heat during normal operation and require air flow from a variety of directions for cooling purposes and since air flow is usually and inherently from the base of the cabi-net up through the components as a result of which it is nor-mally necessary to allow large amounts of open space above and beneath the components as well as furnishing small blowers to encourage the intake of temperature and humi.dity regulated air from the surrounding room or more frequently, from an air supply plenum under a raised floor system.
The use of a transaction processing unit such as described in my U.S. patent 4,121,523 or one such as described in U.S. patent 4,381,716 of which I am a co-inventor to house data processing equipment, including banking data processing equipment and related devices, obviates the need of providing temperature and humidity 1.~.77~
controlled air to an entire, large, specially built room or facility to supply and sustain a stable deflned environment about the data processing equipment contained therein.
Temperature and humidity-controlled air or other atmosphere may be provided to the data processing equipment using the air supply present in the facility or room in which said data processing equipment is housed or from an air conditioning unit dedicated to that purpose. ~ir circulation through the transaction processing unit or data processing equipment en-closure is provided by perforation of the opposite ends orside walls of the enclosure housing using normally a blower or fan assembly to encourage the flow of air therethrough.
Even where a fan or blower is used, however, the tendency is for development of a gradient temperature to occur within the housing; warm air at the top and cooler air at the bottom; and while the limited space involved permits for ready adjustment, difficulty in making the adjustment uniform, or uniform over a sustained period throughout the unit still exists, an aspect significant particularly where the data pro-cessing equipment is tiered vertically within the enclosure.Such a tiered arrangement permits, however, a significantly more efficient use of the enclosure.
Rotation of data processing equipment either within or immediately outside the foregoing data processing equipment enclosures to provide access to the various aspects thereof eliminates the need for access space about the entire periphery of the enclosure. The cables attached to the data processing or similar equipment within the enclosure, either for the purpose of supplying electrical power thereto or for the pur-pose of communication with and between the various componentsof a data processing system, may be rotated with the equipment, provided sufficient slack is permitted to allow rotation or movement without placing tension or stress upon the cables.
Rotation of the data processing equipment within the enclosure is described in the foregoing U.S. patent 4,121,523 and U.S. patent 4,381,716 is also, as indicated, particularly advantageous in permitting 1 1775~
access to the equipment ror o~enation or servicing thereor through the same aperture, or at least through a limited aspect o~7 one side Or the housing, accomplishing an economy of movable parts, runction and space while limiting ~he comTnunication between the exterior and interior ol7 the en-- closure, consistent with its maximum and rnost advantageous utilization. Where rotation is unlimited and tiered data processing equipment or the like is contained in the enclo-sure the utilization of this space becomes invol~ed,by way Or illustration, when a plurality of cables are present, and ~hese will often number in excess of about two hundred.
The identity and function Or these cables may become con-rused, and the cables entangled or twisted through careless ; or improper operation of the data processing equipment en-closure housing said equipment.
However, ir support means for electronic data pro-cessing equipment could be provided that serves as a 171uid distribution system, alone or in combination with a rurther duct system, within, or within and exterior, to said enclo-sure for transmission and direction of a fluid, such as air,the t,emperature and humidity or which is controlled~ to the vario,us aspects Or the enclosed data processing equipment requiring a consistent and modulated environment, while ordering the distribution and controllin~ the slack length and tension of the cables Or the encl~sed data processing e~uipment, a signiricant advance in the state Or the art would be attained. Further, in the event the foregoing support and rluid distribution means could be integrated in the foregoing enclosure to rotate in a carefully derined arc and upon the axis of said support and distribution means so that ready access could be had to any aspect, and particu-larly any lateral aspect, Or the data processing equipment or the like mounted upon the roregoing support and distribu-tion means through a single aperture or a plurality Or superimposed apertures at a single point în, or portion Or, the periphery Or said enc~osure, 2 rurthet material step forl~ard in the state of the .~rt l~lould be ~ffected.
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Any rnaterial contractlon in size of the enclosure accomplished at either end and circumferentially permitting increased utilization of space with provision simultaneously for security against both fire and vandals, for uniform atmos-phere conditions throughout the enclosure such as will permitinCorporation thereof in conventional desks, clerical work stations and areas for containment of terminals, microcom-puters and data storage and retrieval devices, and permit ready movement and convenient locatio~ will manifestly pro-vide a still rurther and significant advance in the relevantart. ~ .
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DISCLOSUR~ OF THE INV~NTION
It is, accordingly, a~ ob~ect Or this invention to provide a rack assembly for use in an enclosure means adapted to contain a variety of equlpment, and parti-cularly data processing equipment~ in which the ~emperature 5 and humidity throughout the enclosure may be malntained at a substantially uniform level or varied selectively to accommodate different equipment disposed within disparate parts of the same enclosure.
It is a further ob~ect of this invention to 10 pro~ide ventilation, temperature and humidity control -: means as aforesaid~ in combination with support means for said equipment in a tiered assembly within said enclosure.
It is still a further ob~ect of this invention 15 to provide a fluid distribution and support system that includes means for systematically distributing the cable systems of data processing equipment present in the foregoing enclosures with integrated cable length and tension control means to avoid twisting and entanglement 20 of the various cables defining entry into the enclosure In accordance with the present inventiona an improved enclosure is provided for the housing and maintenance of apparatus, and particularly electronic data processing equipment under selectively controlled 25 environmental conditions in a physically secure state and in a compact, efficient and yet readily accessible manner sub~ect to convenient transport from one location to another. The enclosure or module of the invention is, in a particularly preferred embodiment, thermally 30 insulated, and includes a stationary wall or housing, a ceiling and floor forming the opposite closed ends of said housing, at least one access means to the inter-ior of the enclosure, closure means registrable -~ith said access means; and a rack assembly disposed within ~9~ l~5~8 said housing adapted ~o receive a ~lurality Or electronic data processing components in a multi-tiered manner therein and comprising a plurality of tubular legs and - affixed thereto, a plurality of connecting tubular 5 rib support members, the interior of said leg and rib support members, being selectively continuous with one another. The tubular members of the rack assembly are connected, normally through the ceiling and a supra modular housing disposed thereon or through the floor lO of the enclosure to a ventilation, air-conditioning and humidity control system. The rack assembly in addition, to supporting a plurality of data processing components, for example, sensitive to contaminants, temperature, humidity and the like, receives the emissions of the 15 roregoing systems for circulation throughout the in-terior of the enclosure. The tubular elements of the rack assembly have a plurality of groups of spaced aperatures or vents having vent closure means adapted for emission of a controlled atmosphere at discretionary 20 rates into the interior Or the module or enclosure at various points and levels therein.
The tubular members may include resiskance, heating or other heating or coollng jackets or elements along their interior passageways to afrect the temperature 25 and relative humidity of particular zones of the enclosure's interior. At the same time several of the tubular elements may have separate access to separate ventilating and air-conditioning sources outside of the enclosure.
In addition, the tubular conduit elements may serve solely 3o for the transmission of fluid or atmosphere and non-trasmitting structural elements may support said equipment, however, this embodiment is~ in general~
significantly less preferred. In one embodiment Or the invention the module of the invention includes turntable 35 means, in the form of one or a plurality of plates or ~3 -lo- ~17~
platfo~ms disposed within the enclosure upon wh~ch t,he tubular neck assembly is mounted. In one such embodiment, the turntable i.s disposed illustratively in contiguous relation to the inner circum~erence of the enclosures.
Atmos~heric venting and collection means are provided i.n the ceiling and supra module housing The turntable provi.des easy access to the rear or any other aspect o. the data processlng equipmPnt mounted on the rack assemhly of the module's i.nterior, ~o as it is readily rof.ated by manual rotation or suitable electrical or electronic means or the like well known to those skilled in the art, through a single access means in the enclosure wall or hou.sing or, in an alternative less pref'erred embodimentg a plurality of access means. Other embodiments, incl.udlng in addition, although ~ess preferred for a number of purposes~ the entire apparatus may be extended out of the access means for service and, in additi.on~ rotated while extended from the housing if required.
The di.stribution o~ cable wiring entering the enclosure to operate the data processi.ng apparatus - components mounted with.1n are controlled and i.ntegrated wi~.h the ra.ck by cable distr.ibution and control means integrated with t.he rac~ assemhly.
There is, accordi.ngly provided., pv.rsu.ant to the present invention a transaction processing enclosure f'or housing of electronic data procefising equlpment and the llke comprising, in combinati.on, at least one access means to the interior of said enclosurej closure 3~ means reglstrable wi.th said access means; said enclosure including a frame comprising hollow conduit support members arrayed at .spaced intervals to prov~de a unitary support structure adapted to receive and store said da.ta processing equipment ~omponents; a number of said hollow conduit support members being interconnected in a manner such as to distribute a f'luid therethrough.
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I There is pro~rided, ~s well, a transaction processing enclosure for housi,ng of elect,ronic data processing equipment and the like comprising, in combination, at least one access means to the .i.nterior 5 of said enclosure; closure means registrable with said access mea.ns; sa.id enclosure including a frame comprising hollow conduit support members arrayed at spaced int,ervals to provide a unitary ~upport struct,ure adapted to distribute a flu.id therethrough and provide a con-trolled environment to equipment mounted on said frame within said enclosure.
Also provided .is an article o.f furniture comprising at least one tier of a plurality of trans-action processing enclosures for housing of electronic data processing equipment, components thereof and the like wherein each of said enclosures comprise, in com-bination at least one access mean~s to the interior of said enclosure; closure means registrable with said access means-; said enclosure including a .~rame comprising hollow conduit support members arrayed at sapced intervals to provide a unitary support structure adapted to receive and store said data processing equipment and components thereof; a number of said hollow condult support members being interconnected in a manner such - 25 as to permit distribution of a flu.id therethrough for contack with equipment and cornponents.
n ~ 1~ 75~8 I BRIEF DESCRIP~ION OF DRAWINGS
I The ~oregoing and additi~nal ob~ects, reatures and advantages Or this lnvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art ~rom the ~ollowing detailed description - 5 Or the prererred embodiments of the invention when taken in . con~unction with the accompanying drawings in which:
F~g. 1 is a perspective view o~ the rack assembly enclosure Or the invention with a portion broken away.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken alon~
the lines 2-2 Or Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view in vertical section taken along the lines 3-3 Or Fig. 1 showing a modirication of the en-closure and rack assembly Or Fig. l integrated into an illus-trative building structure, and with e~emen~ depicted schematically.
Fig. 4 is a partially broken perspective view Or a plurality of the enclosures incorporating the rack assembly components Or the invention showing the integration Or the enclos,ures into a building environmental control system, wherein certain Or the elements are shown semi-diagrammati-cally.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the rack assem-bly Or Fig. 1 removed rrom the enclosure, with data process-ing components shown schematically positioned thereon.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the - 25 isolated rack assembly component taken along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 5.
,~ Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevakional view Or the nexus Or horizontal and vertical members Or the rack assembly component of Fig. 5.
Fig. 8 is a hor~zontal cross-sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a rragmentary perspect~ve view ~r an illustrat~ve embodiment Or the invention wherein a shelf bearing a data processing element depicted semi diagrammati-35 cally is mounted upon the rack assembly means.
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Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the enclosure of Fig. 1 incorporating a rotatable platform adapted to receive the rack assembly components of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cooperating drive shaft and related means disposed beneath the floor of the enclosure for rotating the rack assembly platform; and Fig, 12 is a side elevation view of a further lOillustrative embodiment of apparatus incorporating the practice of the invention.
Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view ~aken along the lines 13-13 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view taken 15along the lines 14-14 of Fig. 13.
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BEST MODE FOR CARRYING O~ T}IE Il~J~ENT-[OM
Referring now in rnore detail to the drawing there is shown with particular reference to ~igs. 1 to 3 a unitary rack assembly enclosure 10 in which the invention is illus-tratively embodied, that comprises a transaction processing enclosure 200 and rack assembly 201, the latter also shown illustratively in isolation of Figs. 3 and 5 to 7. Th en-closure 200~ also described in detail in U.S. patent 4,121,523 includes a housing 202, generally cylindrical in conformation, although a variety of shapes or combinations of shapes may be employed, composed of a stationary vertical wall 222 and one or more access means 223.
In one embodiment, the enclosure 200 includes turntable means~ plate of platform 244 disposed in indepen-dently rotatable relationship with the housing 220 and disposed contiguously therewith in a preferred embodiment.
As will be evident in this context, the turntable 244 is essentially flat usually and may have other supplemental turntables (not shown) independently superimposed within the housing 220 each bearing, optionally and additional, rack units 201. The turntables are of any desired horizontal conformation, for example, polygonal, round or the like.
A rack assembly 201 for accommodating a plurality of environmentally sensitive apparatus in an efficient, environmentally controlling, multi-tiered relationship within the enclosure 200 is mounted upon the turntable 244 of the stationary floor of the enclosure.
The turntable 244 provides easy access to the rear or any other aspect of the electronic data processing appara-tus, transaction processing machine and the like present on the rack assembly 201 in the enclosure or module 200 for servicing or the like at the same site through the same access element used ~or other purposes, such as to one or P~
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more o~ the contained machines or apparatus ror operati~n ! thereor, accomplishing a si~ni~icant, economy Or runctiOn and Or space. The rotatlon Or the turntable 244 can be ~ntegrated selectively through a standard control means, such as the panel 292 (shown in Fig. 4)9 with opening of one or all Or the segments Or the enclosure's closure means des-cribed in greater detail hereinafter.
The rack assembly as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and in isolation in Figs. 5 to~ comprises a plurality of le~s or vertical tubular support elements 504 which are, in a pre-ferred embodiment~ vertically adjustable. In the illustra-tive embodiment Or the drawings, the tubular legs 504 are rour in number, although it will be evident that a fewer or greater number may be utilized, for example, but not by way Or limitation, three to six or more. The number Or legs will vary with the leg diameter~ the weight and volume of equip-ment to be maintained on the rack assembly 201, the volume o~
fluid to be transmltted through the legs, the size o~ the enclosure and the like. The legs 504 are preferably disposed in a vertical man~er as in the drawing or may be otherwise arranged, as for example, pyramidally, so that they may form a nexus at their apex.
The legs 504 are complemented by a plurality Or interconnecting tubular rings, ribs, legs or stretch bars 505. The tubular construction of the:legs 504 and ri~s 505 provides a system Or interconnecting conduits for transrer Or ~luids throughout the resulting rack assembly 201, and emis-sion Or these rluids into the enclosure 200. The ribs or stretch bars, while shown disposed hori~ontally in the drah-ing may also be disposed at a variety Or angles between thelegs and interconneck as well not only with an adjacent leg but with a diagonally disposed leg or vertical support ele-ment 504, by way Or further illustration. The leg and rib members may assume a variety Or cross-sectional conformations, ror eY.ample, hexagonal, rectangular, el~ipticalg circular, ~ ~ 7'~
square, or the like. As the rrame members Or a support ele-ment the ribs 505 have pre~erably an angular, as opposed to a rounded, construction. It will be evident, too, that the ribs 505 are prererably disposed horizontally ~or this pur-5 pose as well.
Accessory conduits, (not shown) may be employed ror - the transm~ssion Or ~luid in combination with the legs serv-ing a supportive ~unction, but this embodiment ls normally significantly less preferred because of the redundancy of 10 elements involved.
The assembly of legs 504 and rib 505 thus rorms a rigid assembly. Alternatively, or complementing the rree standing capacity of the rack assembly means, such as struts, ror securing the assembly at various intervals ln the inter-15 ior wall of the housing 200 may also be incorporated. miSparticular embodiment is not convenient or even desirable normally ~or it prevents inter alia rotary movement Or khe assembly 201 within the enclosure 200. Thererore, the pre-sence of a free-standing assembly mounted on the rotatable 20base or platform is signiricantly preferred.
The selective distribution Or a controlled atmos-phere free Or contaminents, Or a desired temperature and humidity at dif~erent points and at dirferent flow rates - within the enclosure 200 enables the unit 10 to accommodate 25within its close conrines, a variety Or devices, such as electronic data processing apparatus, generating varying amounts of heat, yet sensitive to exc~ss heat (or cold3, dampness, pollutants and the like, while utilizing all Or the available vertical9 as well as horizontal9 space within 3Othe housing In the embodiment Or ~igs. 1 to 3 the transaction processing enclosure with its access means, housing 220 and provision for penetration by selected ducts to supply the distribution network Or the rack assembly 201 D
~ ~,775 lncludes closure means 224 (and 225, where an ~ddltional inner second closure means is desired and present~, the lateral margi,ls Or which, in each instance~ in ~he closed position, and thus occluding the access means~ are in regis-5 try with the wall 222.
In the comp~etely open pos~tion the closure means 224 and 225 are prererably d~sposed respectively within and outside the wall 222, in the open state the closure means 224 and 225 moving in a path derining an axis substantially iden-10 t~cal to that of the arcuate wall 222. ~;le stationarY w?ll222 and secondary closure means elements 224 and 225, derine arcs o~ up to 18~ and in one prererred embodi~ent, derine semicircular arcs each Or about or precisely 180, and, as is evident, provide the enclosure or module 20~ in the closed state.
The enclosure 200 composed Or its foregoing movable and stationary COmpQnentS 222, and 224 and 225, respecti~ely may be formed Or a variety of materials. Where a computer assembly requiring visual monitoring is to be contained in the enclosure 200 one secondary closure means 224 is des~rably 20employed and is formed of a transparent, impac~ and normally, a projectile and~ bullet-resistant material, and preferably in combination with one or more concentrically mounted secon-dary closure means 225, formed Or a metallic material both fire and impact-resistant. Particularly preferred, however, ror 25use particularly in the elements 222 and 22~ however, are the refractory walls and enclosures of U.S. patent 4,381,716 in which patent the inventor herein is one of the applicants.
For convenience of rererence where two concentric closure means are used~ the outer one, is identiried by the des~gnation 224 and the inner one by the rererence numeral 225.
Where they are segmented horizontally, as described ~n greater detail hereinafter they are rererred to by their upper or lower 35 disposit~on as 224a, the upper outer secondary closure means;
224b, the lower outer secondary closure means; 225¢, the inner upper secondary closure means; and 225d, the inner lower secondary closure means.
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The closure meas may be segmented ~ertlcally as well.
In addition, a slngle closure means~ ror example,225 may incor-porate a secondary access means pre~erentially protected by a tertiary closure means (not shown) conrorming in size and 5 shape with the secondary access means in lieu Or dividing the entire closure means 225 horizontally. This embodiment is part~cularly ~refeired ~hen l~-e ~nclosure 20~ is ~scd to ~Ol:
autGmatic banking or trans~ction eoui~ment, to provide selec-tive customer access to the customer terminal section ~ th~s 10 e~uipment. In addition such a small access means may be in-corporated within the stationary wall 9 222 Or t~e enclosure 200, also pr~ferentially protected by a tertiary closure means.
Illustrat~ely9 as shown in Fi~s. 1 to 4, and outer closure means 224, rormed Or a transparent impact (e~g 15 bullet-or pro~ectile-~ resistant ~aterial is mounted conven-iently on a track 226a formed ~n the perimeter Or the upper module partition 274 and, additionally or alternatively, (sho~;n 2S 226b) in the perimeter ~f the module base 284 to enclose or provide access to the housed equipment 230.
20 An inner closure means 225 is disposed within the outer clo-sure means 224 and rormed Or steel or other appropriate pro-tective material, preferably the refractory ~aminate of ~.S. patent 4,381,716, and is mounted in either or prererably both upper and lower tracks 227a and 25 227b respectively. In the closed state these closure means are in registry at their lateral bor~ers with the s$ationary wall 222 by means of closure plates 2~2. The clos~re means 225 when opague~ as is normally the ~ase9 may also be seg-mented horizontally and the ~pper component thereol 225c 30 moved to the open state to expose or at least render visible through the outer secondary closure means~ 224 and 224a, the e~ipment face and its operation!
~ .'here employed to house an a~tomatic banking mach-ine, the vault portion 231 thereor wi~l ordinarily be disposed 35 within or outside the rack 201 ard unoer the tr~saction ~ace 232 Or the automatic bankin~ machine 230~ In this event, as sho~n in enclosure 200e Or Figs. 4, ror e~.amp]e, and discussed }ereinabove, the inner secor,dary closure means 224 and 225 D
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respectivelyJ wh~ch may otherwlse be single unit~" are hori-zontally segmented to provide two sep~rately rotatable com-ponents, an outer upper component 224a (shown in ~ig. 4) and an outer lower component 224b and an inner upper com-5 ponent 225c and inner lower component 225d Or approximatelyeouiva~ent vertical as .ell as identical lateral d~mensions.
The ~prer secor.oary closur~ ~e~ns 224a ~nd 725c may b~ per- .
mitted to remain open durin~ ~cnki1-~ hol~rs, ror e~:~m~le, and closed at other times, or aoapted to open ~}~en the rirst or 10 other booth closure means 22a passes from the first to t~,e second position.
Alternatively, where access is de~ired ror s~rvicing of the machine or vault positioned under the ~utomatic teller or banking machine face 232, shown schematically, the lo~:er 15 closure means 224b and 225d are rotated alone or in conjunction with the upper closure means 224a and 225c.
The internally disposed secondary closure means 225 and the sum of any horizontally se~mented subdi~sion thereof 225c and ~25d~ such as seen in Fig. 4, will normally termi-20 nate belo~ the periphery Or the platform 284 as shown inFig. 9 at its lower margin and in the margin Or the rotation plate 2~0 with which it is in ~ixed en~a~ement at its u~per end. I.~ere a banking machine such 2S an automatic paying or receiving machine is enclosed within the module the inner secondary closure means or access element 225 will exkend preferably from the upper module partition 274 by means Or a rlange tnot shown) to the base 284 to comply with the re-ouirements Or the Federal Reser~e Board as expressed, for exan,ple, in Regulation P.
3 The rack assembly enclosure or transaction proces-sing enclosure 10 may be encapsulated for many purposes, in an exterior protective booth and employ speciali~ed~ and specially integrated~ entry means in the manner described in the present inventor's U.S. patent 4,121,523 The single access means for operation or repair of one or more of the pieces Or eouipment lodged in the rack 5 ~ ~
2~1 ~s, in any event, made possible by use Or one or more turntables 244 provid~ng easy access t~ the rear or any okher aspect o~ the transaction processing machine or e~ectr~nic data processing apparatus present in the ~odule ror servicing 5 ~r the li~e at the same site through the same access ele~ent used ror all other purposes; accomplishing an economy Or ~unction and utilization ~r space unknown heret~rore; parti-cularly in comb~nat~on with the tiered construction provi~ed by the rack 201 Rotation ls, in one embodiment o~ the ~urn-table, integrated select~vely through a standard controlpanel (not shown) with opening of one or all segments Or the various closure means provided.
All of the functions thus far described as well as securing and latching and unlatching o~ the rack assembly en-closure or module are accomplished manually or conveniently - by means Or conventional electrical circuitry well~known to one skilled in the art. The control means is sim~lar to that described in ~.S. patent 4,121,523.
A turntable and the means for rolation thereof applicable for use in the ~ree-standing m3dule of Figs. 1 to 4 hereof, particularly, is sho~n and described in U.S. patent 4,121,523 with particular rererence to Fig. 13 thereo~ and is incorporated by reference herein. Alternatively) the rotation of the turntable may be accomplished by a variety Or - mechanical means known to those skilled in the art or, in-deed, manually.
A drive mechanism ~or rotation Or the closure means 225 may be mounted atop the upper module partition 274 and disposed within the supra module housing 275 as shown in Figs.
1 ~nd 2~ ln the manner described ~n U.S. patent 4~121,523 again with particular re~erence to Fig. 13 thereof, and in~
corporated by rererence herein. Standard drive mechanisms may be integrated into a variety of drive trains and posi-~5 tlons in relation to ~ne closure means 225.
The inner protective secondary closure means 225 Or .~`?
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the module 200 is prererably in continuous contact or re~istry wlth the periphery o~ She rotatable upper modu~e ~late 280 aslnoted hereinabo~e, a~d may be'operated manually as well as mechanically. ~hen inner secondary closure means 225 are divided horizontally into 225c and 225a, respectivelY~ the support and drive mechanism ror 225c shall be identical to t~lat described hereinabove ror 225 as a single unit. The support and drive mechanism ror closure means 225d shall consist Or an arcuate ~r~ck on the base 284 J Or generally circular sh~pe 1~ with lnternal drive ring ~r,ot shown~ and, a drive motor (not shown~ Alternati~ely, a variety o~ other methods can be em-ployed as is obvious to one skilled in'the art. or course, manual operation in con~unction with an electrical control means or as ân override method Or operation of said secondary closure means in event o~ railure o'~ said drive mechanism is also an alternative, but is less preferred~ ~ile described with respect to the inner secondary closure means 225, it will be evident that the outer closure means 224 can be similarly segmented and the modes of operation enunciated 20 hereinabove with respect to the inner secondary closure means 225 applied to the outer secondary closure means 224 will be made registrable with the stationary wall 222 in the open state and its lower ed~es with the base 284 in a preferred embodiment as also described hereir~above. The upper margins may also be in registry with the supra module partition 284 through an extended closure flange, as also - earlier described hereinabove~ with respect to the''turntable 280. The stationary wall 222 is~ in turn, secured within the outer margin o~ the upper ~r supra module partition 274 ex---terior to the outer periphery Or the plate 280 and extends to the floor or base 284 upon which the unit or module is located. As noted, the upper end Or the rotatable protec~i~e secondary closure means 225 is, ill a prererred embodiment~
in contiguous, sl~dable and sealed relationship by means Or the flange 28~ with the upper module partition 274 and it is where the module and rack encapsulate and support a banking r~
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machlne, particularly, that the lower end ~r the closure means 225 is in like engag~ment with the base 284 Or the module as also described above~ The sec~nd~ry closure meanS 224 and 22 may also be segmented vertically, but thi:s alternati~e is nor-5 mally slgnificantly less prererred.
Rotation guide means compos~d of struts 285 serve tosupport the turntable Or platform 244, These guides may be telescoped and t~.us extensible to support the platrorm or turntable 244 at any desired level above the module base 284
3 and, Or course, under the partition 274 At the same time, a rlan~e m~y serve to leYel, in a similar manner, the rotat-ion plate Or the inner secondary closure means 225, when pres~ent,.
In accordance rurther wi~th the practice of the invention~ the system thus described may also be responsive to an alarm and over-ride control in the manner generally Or that described with respect to the ~ooths of Figs. 1 and
4 o~ V S~ patent 4,121,523 so that in response to seismic shock fro~ a physical attack of unauthorized or unprogrammed attempt to gain access thereto, experienced by, for example, the banking ~achine as the result Or attempted burglary or other tampering, the inner secondary closure means 225 or its components 225(c) or 225Cd~ will close while the closure means 22 will be retained in place securing the miscreant 25 within the booth 10 in one preferred embodiment.
With continued re~erence to the enclosure or trans-action processing module or enclosure 200, and more particu-larly, to the free-standing mani~es~ation or embodiment Or Figs, 1 to 4 it ~ill be seen that the upper or supra module -housing 275 is continuous with or derines entry into a hungceiling 286, which contains, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the conventional heat, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as electrical and communication lines into which the module may be gra~ted to provide, ~here 3~ electronic data processing units are encapsulated by the ~ 1775B~
module, for example, the controlled environment necessary to its operation; A riser duct (not sh~wn) may ef~ect trans-mlssion of the ~oregoing environmental components to the interior of the module 200 and more immediately the rack sassembly 201 in the manner described hereinarter. Means of fire detection 294, fire suppression 295, and motor or system control unit 227 and a s~urce of emergency power 2~ ror these syste~s are placed in the supra modular housing as shown di~-grammatically in Pig. 1 without af~ecting materially the ease 1~ Or assembly, disassembly or mobility Or ~he module 200~
Alternatively, these elements may be located on the base 284 Or the module 200 or under the ~loor 18 of the unit 10 and respectively, below the turntable o~ said module 2~0 or under a raised or flooring system in said booth 10.
With particular re~erence to Fig. 4 there are shown a plurality of ~ree-standing transaction processing rack assem-bly enclosure units 10 integrating for p~rposes Or illustration with a hung ceiling above, or alternatively, one below or a combination thereo~. The transaction processing units 10 20 include the supra module housing 2757 a stationary wall or housing 222, an access element and the secondary closure means or shield 224 Or a transparent character so that the operator of the computer apparatus 230 inGorporated in the rack assem-blies 201 Or the modules 200, may observe their performance 25 without opening the secondary closure means 225 in each in-stance while stationed at the console or panel 292. However 3 a second inner (or outer) reinforcing protective secondary closure means 225, as noted hereinabove~ composed, illustra-tively, of fire resistant and impact resistant material, such 30 as steel, or prererably the refractory materials described elsewhere herein may be used to guard the access opening, and maintain the requisite internal environment o~ the enclosure 103 remaining open and retracted within the housing as shown, illustratively, ~n the module 200(c) of Fig. 4 normally for 35 brief periods Or observation where minimal use of the rack assembly environmental control system is desired. The nor-mally light transparent outer concentrically d~sposed secon-T~
~ ~7'~6~
dary closure means 224, as noted elsewhere hereln, serves to protect the environment prlmarily within the module 200 while permitting observation of the housed equipment during use.
me opaque secondary closure means 225 is thus desirably
5 closed when the data processing equipment is or is not in operation Qr may be manually or automatically closed in the event of fire, flood, or attempted vandalism or inappropriate use of the housed equipment.
Thus, as illustrated further by module 200ta) of 10 ~ig. 4 the transparent secondary closure means 224 is closed to maintain a controlled environment in the module. In module 200(b) Or Fig. 4 the outer transparent closure means 224 as well as the internal protective closure means 225, are shown in the open state with the rear of the data processing equip-1~ ment 230 exposed, having been rotated on the turntable 244 rorservicing. Module 200(c~ of this same drawing is identical in the operative state it presents to that of the module 200(a).
~ Module 200(d) is shown with both the outer secondary and inner closure means and their segmented components, 224a, 224b, 225c, 20 and 225d in the closed stake. The r~ assemblv enclosure 200c shows the bank component and transaction component 232 shown diagrammatically, disposed in a rack assembly 201, in - the manner described elsewhere herein.
A particular advantage Or the present invention is apparent from the embodiment of Fig. 4 in that, as shown, the entire environment of the room in which the transaction pro-cessing centers are disposed need not be subject to the rigor-ous controlled conditions required within the transaction processing centers where electronic data process~ng equip-3 ment is housed. Ingress and egress from the computer contain-ing room can take place freely and yet each module is also protected against~vandalism, each secondary closure means 224 being subJect to latching in the ~anner of the booth 10 as described elsewhere herein. At the same time, any unit 10 and any desired piece of electronic data processing equipment can be readily removed from one location and installed immediately, and normally, in a second location by t'plugging" of the unit 10 into existing heat, ventilation and air-conditioning lines in the second location.
~.~
~ 17~56~
~24-An extensible ramp may be e~ployed ror installatlon ~ and removal of any data or transaction processing equipment from a ~dule or b~oth where the support system or turntable up~n which.tne equipment is placed is above the level of the floor~
The legs 504, and ribs 505, vertically and horizon-tally disp.osed in the rack assembly 20l, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Or the drawin~ are hollow, thereby form-ing the conduits that are ~ointed or interconnected as shown, illustratively in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to permit the 10 f~uid flow, illustratively, Or temperature and humidity con-trolled air or other atmosphere for circulation in the rack assembly 201 for distribution 2t a predetermined rate and volume through patterns Or vents, distribution ducts or open-ings 506 formed in the legs and ribs of the rac~ assembly and 5 by this means into the enclosure 200 and to the specific processing components illustrated by the schematically repre-sented unit 230 mounted upon and within the rack 201.
The gaseous fluid distribution system of the rack assembly 201 is connected in a convenient an~ convenkional 20 illustrati~e embodiment to the riseror supply connectorduct or ducts 2~0 of Fig. 3 ln the supra module housing 275 of the enclosure 200; which ducts 290 are in turn connected to a supply duct 507 in the hun~ ceiling 286 or to an exposed supply duct 507 by passing through an intermediate housing 25 508 disposed ~etween the supra module housing 275 and the duct 290 as shown in Fig. 4, as ~ source of temperature and humidity controlled air. The rack assembly is connected to the ducts 220 by means of the rack assembly supply conduit 509.
A plurality of these supply conduits may pass between the rack 30 assembly and one or more supply sources. The supply conduit or condu~ts may be integrated with the rack assembly 201 at one or more positions. In general, it is of particular util-ity to connect two such conduits 509 to the upper or terminal ends Or diagonally disposed vertically arrayed legs 504 Or 35 the rack 201. The rack assembly conduits 50g are preferably rlexible and extensible, a hose, for example~ containing suf-riCient 61ack length ts permit rotary motion Or ~he rack upon the rack assembly mounting means or turntable 244. The con-nection of the conduits 509 to a manifold 521 whlch connects to the risers 2~0 at one end and tv the rack 201 at the other 5 may be detachable for more signi~icant rotation of the rack or removal and disassembly if desired; the connection whether fixed or detachable being afrected by means well-known to those skilled in the art.
As shown in Fig. 3 the riser duct 290 is centrally 10 positioned in the supra module housing 275 and the rack assembly conduits 509 communicate with the supply du^ts 290 by means of the foregoing intervening manifold, plenum or mixing box 521 mounted on the supra modular partition 274 immediately under the riser or supply ducts 290. The manifold may be 15 rixedly or removably attached to the partition 274 as, ror example~ by lateral flanges 524 mounted in tracks or bearing surfaces 525 mounted on the under surface of the upper module or enclosure partition 274 ror ready removal or repair or replacement, The riser ducts 2~0 terminate at the partition 20 274 and are normally coextensive with the lateral borders Or the manifold 521. The manifold 521, as indeed the riser duct 2~0, may assume a variety of constructi.ons, To efrect the t~ansmission of gases through the riser supply duct 220 or to the manifold 521, a communicatin~
25 orifice or series of orifices (not shown~ is pro~ided in the upper or supra module partition 274, This latter partition is per~orated as well Calthou~h.not shown in the drawing) about th.e exterior periphery o~ the manifold 521 to provide passage ~or war~ exiting gases leaving the interior of the 30 enclosure 200 and passing into the recovery conduit 527 and from thence into the building return duct528. The riser duct ~nd return condui.t 527 may, even if a plurality Or each is present, be enclosed in the intermediate housing 508 in the embodiment of Fig~ 4, The turntable 244 or support platrorm 35 is perforated as well, to assure passage for the rising i ~
~ 7 heated gases rormed in contact with the heat producint apPa~
ratus mai~tained on the rack assembly 201.
The turntable 244 or support platrorm may b~
perrorated, particularly, to prevent pockets Or cold air, 5 for example, from accumulating in the'bottom Or the unit 200, so that monitoring and maintenance Or a unlform atmos-phere within the enclosure 200 would be more difricult.
Oririces are fur,ther provided about the rotation plate 280 of a diameter and number s~fricien~ to accommodate 10 the rack assembly supply conduits 509 in their passage ~rom the legs 504 (or the ribs 505 or indeed a combination thereof) to the manifold or mixin~ box 521. rllo accommodate for rota-tion of the rPtatable ~3~ plate 280 the supply conduits 509 are made Or a flexible material, and have a length surficient 15 to provide slack, or are otherwise extensible, such as where they are made of a resilient or stretchable material or of an accordian construction.
It is also wlthin the contemplation of this inven-tion that a duct system ldentlcal or similar to that pro-20 vided through the' supra modular housing 275 may transmit inlike manner from supply ducts~ illustratively, a heat, ventilation and air-conditioning system in the floor below ' that on which the m~dule or enclosure 200 and rack assembly 201 is located as illustrated semi-diagrammatically in ~ig.
25 4 through the module base 284. It is also consistent with the ~oregoing descriptlon, as noted elsewhere herein~ that individual heat, vent~lat'ion, and atmosphere control systems such as air-conditionin~ units, ror example, suitable for securing the necessary atmospheric control be placed within 3 the supra module housing 275 for delivery to the module interior or chamber optlonally by means of the supply'ducts 290 or directly through orifices in the supra modular par-tition~ manifold 521~ rack assem~ly supply conduits 509, rack assembly 201 wherein the apparatus 230, and most advan-3, tageously, electronic data processing apparatus is located.
-27~ ~17~56 Where a dedicated atmospheric Unit 599, ror a slngle enclosure ~0 such as shown in ~lg. 1 ~r a unit 602, ror control Or the atm~sphere in several enclosures 10 as shown in Fig. 4,is employed, they may also be used in 5 combination with existing building heating, ventilating and air-conditiOning systems. In one embodiment, the dedicated atmospheric control wnit functions as a heat pump or e~changer, cooling the data processing components housed u~on the rack, 201 with air or other fluid atmosphere con-10 tained within the enclosure 10 and in s~me embodiments,within said rack 201. The heat ~enerated by the contained equipment 230 is then released by the atmospheric control unit, 529 or 602 to the exterior of the enclosure or into the return air system Or the facility using a return riser duct connector.
In an alternative embodiment,primary envir~n~ental control may be accomplished by connection to the centr~l facil-ity heating, ventilatin~ and air conditioning system of the bUilding in which the enclosures are housed and the dedicated 20atmospheric control unit, 599 or 602, may be used in the event that the remotely treated or centra~ facility is in an opera-tive state. In addition, tne use of multiple dedicated atmos-pheric control units provide redundancy or back-up capability in the event Or failure Or one unit when critical or important 25electronic equipment is housed ~it~in the enclosure,200 The perforation Or the.turntable 244 is also appropriate if the supply duct 507 and return ducts are disposed beneath t~e base 284 of the enclosure unit 200, and the duct system shown in the supra module housing and 30communicating thererrom to the rack 201 were transposed to the bottom Or the enclosu~e 200.
In a further and often preferred embodiment, as sho~n ~n Fig, 3, the manifold 521 is connected to a plur-ality, and specifically, a pair of rack assembly supply 35 conduits 509 that pass to a plurality of supply riser ducts 290 (as shown in ~ig. 3~. The riser duc.ts 290 may be of a r~g~d construct~on but the hose connections or alterna~lve rlser ducts or supply connection ducts 290 are also and more rrequently made of a flexible material. The supply riser ducts 290 may, ror example, be ~f accordian construction, as 5 well, to integrate with supply ducts disposed at varying heights and whether within a hung ceilin~ 286 or not.
While the supply riser ducts 290 are orten conven-iently ~onnected to supply ducts as aforesaid which are, in turn~ connected to a source of temperature and humidity 10 controlled air or atmosphere such as a building air condition-ing system, the manirold or mixing box 521 may be connected directly to temperature, ~entilation and humidity sources mounted with the supra modular housing 275 itselr as noted hereinabove and shown in Fig. 1. It will be evident too ~5 ~hat fluid-in take or supply means Or like character may be incorporated at the base of the enclosure 200, and con-~eniently between the enclosure rloor or base 284 and the turntable 244 or alternative platform or raised rloor similar to the supra module partition 274; together with, if desired 20 and, as noted above, fire detection means 294, rire suppres-sion means 295, a motor or system-control unit 297 and a source of emergency power 2~ and the like. In addition, the sides or walls of the enclosure may be ernployed to mount these syst~ms.
At the nexus Or the riser Ol- supply ducts 290 and 25 manifold 521 there ~s interposed in a prererred embodiment one or more fire damper ~ssembly units 530, containing desirably, air ~ilters ~ shown~, and a varied speed blower (not shown), the latter employed to augment the flow on controll~d atmoshpere o~ like fluid into the mixing box assembly or manifold 521 30 and thence into the rack assembly 201 and enclosure 200 in the manner described herein. The fire damper assembly includes, as well, means to automatically interrupt and dis-connect the gaseous fluid flow, e.g. air or atmosphere~ that would otherwise pass into the manifold 521 and the one or 3smore rack assembly supply ducts 509 or from the manifold to the return system.
The fire damper assembly 5303 as shown in ~igs. 1 and 3, further inc~udes, accordin~ly, a fire damper closure 29 ~ 5~8 means 53~ and actuatin~ mechanlsm 534 (shown dlagrammaklcally~
adapted to react automatically to adverse environmental con-ditions and to seal Orr that port~on ~f. the encl~s~re 200 con-taining the rack assembly 201 and associated data ~rocessing 5 equ~pment from intake of rurther gaseous fluid from the rluid supply means, such as the supply ducts entering the riser duct 290. Pollutants including combustion products, ~lame elevated temperatures and the like are thus prevented rrom passing through the mani~old 521 into t~e rack assembly supply conduits 10 509, and thus into the rack assembl~ 201 and enclosure 200 by virtue of the fire damper closure door 5~ o~ the ~l os~ e ~e~ns ~3.
The rire damper assembly 530 is of special utility ~hen air is drawn from the heating, ventilating and air condi-15 tioning system of a surrounding facility so that, in the eventOr fire, or even rlood or similar occurrence ~here heat or no~:ious elements such as smoke part~cles or water may be present, these elements may be prevented from entering the manirold assembly or mixing box 521 by the prompt closure Or 20 the fire damper assembly 530. The operation Or the fire dam-per assembly 530 is prererably actuated by a motor or system control center Or the data processing equipment enclosure responding to environmental conditions monitored by the fire detection and security systems, shown diagrammatically, Or 25 data processing equipment enclosure. In order to completely seal the enclosure in the event Or rire or the development of - other hostile conditions, both the supply and exhaust envir-onmental system should be sealed by the rire damper system.
In ~ig. 1~ a sliding configuration Or the damper, 532 with 30 activation means 534 is sho~n. In Fig. ~ a hin~ed~ ~ ~lap closure arran~ement is shown~
- The rire dampers may be actuated by electrical pneu-matic, mechanical or manual means. The exhaust fire damper system ~00 is shown in Fig. 3 and described hereinbelow.
As indicated, the vertically disposed legs 504 and ribs 505, the latter the hori~zontal supporting members, of Figs. 1, 3~ 5, 6~ 7 and 8 particularly, are hollow thereby .,. .~;
~ 1 7~56B
forming the condu~ts that are Joined as shown in Fig. 6 to permit the ~luid flo~J of ~emperature a~d humidity c~ntrolled air or other atmosphlre or rluid rrom ~he manirold 521 into the rack assembly 201 ror circulation seleckively to the data 5 processing components, illustrated by the diagrammitically defined unit 230, mounted within the rac~ 2~1 in Fig. 1, to dissipate the heat generated by the equipment. To permit the distribution Or rluid within ~he housing 220 and to the components 230, the legs 505 and prererably~ albeit optionally, 10 the horizontal supporting members are provided with air dis-tribution vents, ducts or openings~ 506, at intervals as shown along the legs or ribs in Fig. 3, where the surfaces of said ducts are in proximity to any contained data processing com-ponent.230.
The vent openi)~gs 506 are normally disposed as a plurality of longitudinally aligned apertures or flow damper regulatory apertures 506 positioned in varying positions along the tubular leg or rib members. It will be evident that the number and size or these apertures may be varied to acco~ooate, 20 for example, a standardized distribution Or components with~n the rack assembly 201, as for example, where the components of a computer system or other electronic equipment or the like is distributed thereon, preferably with remo~al of its outer sur-face or "skin". The assembly 201 of the invention, to have a 25 multi-faceted utillty, however, employs means for varying fluid egress or flow from the leg and rib members, in addition, or as an alternative, to varying the permanent location, dimensions and concentration o~ the vents or apertures. This additional means which can also be varied to accommodate the need of a particular component depending on its heat produckion or other environmental control requirements at different times, com-prises in one embodiment shown illustratively in Fig. 7, one or a plurality of fluid ~low dampers 560 formed o~ a longitu-dinal sha~t or plate member that abuts the aperture-containing portion of the interior wall or walls of the leg and rib mem-bers. The damper plate 560 contains a plurality Or apertures 562 corresponding to those of the leg, for example, upon which the plate is mounted. The plate 550 is mounted to avoid -31~ 7~
transverse movement or "play" normally but to facilitate move-ment slidably ln a lo~gitudlnal m~nner ~long the leg member and ls adapted to fac~litate faste~ning at a plurality of points so that the apertures Or leg and plate can correspond 5 completely or result in partially or completely occluded vents. The flow damper may also be polygonal so as to operate with respect to two, t~ree, four or, if present, more sides of the leg or rib in which it is lodged. A guide may be provided ror this purpose. The plate may also be imperforate along 10 a substantial portion of its length so that only a number Or perforations Or the leg and plate actually integrate and a portion or all of the vents in the leg may be sealed by an imperforate portion Or the plate by slidable displacement Or the plate in the appropriate direction.
To maintain the plate or flo~ damper and perforate leg in fîxed position with respect to each other, a bolt or seal screw 564 or a plurality thereor, normally two for convenience, is-inserted through the apertures Or leg and plate, which are adapted to receive the set screw 564 in 20 threaded engagement although to secure a varying degree of partial occlusion Or cooperating leg and plate apertures, the plate may contain apertures of increased length in the longitudinal direction corresponding to the alignment of the apertures in leg and plate. These elongate plate apertures 25 568 are intended to receive the set screws which are then threadedly engaged only within the corresponding leg or rib aPertures used for pr~ducing a fixed relationship of plate and leg; and because of the elongate conformation of the plate aperture the plate may be set in a variety of positions along 30 its length corresponding to phases~extending rrom complete or partial cooperatio~ of the remainin~ apertures 506 to complete occluslon thereo~.
A second damping means employed ~n the practice of the invention is one hav~ng particular utilit~ at the ~unction 35 Or horizontal and vertical support mernbers, 504 and 505. res-pectively, and referred to as a ~unction flow damper 570.
1 ~ 7~
Thls damper may be empl~yed ~o adJust or stop the ~low o~ air from one rib or leg support member to the other, as ~hown ln Figs. 7 and 8 or rrom a rack assembly supply conduit 509 into the rack assembly 201. The ~unction flow damper 570, conrorms 5in general size and shape with the ~nterior cross-section Or the conduit in which it is disposed.
The junction flow damper 570 may be mounted in the interior of the leg or rib using a small standard hinge or similar element 572, as well as means to control and activate the movement of said junction rlow damper, such as the assem-bly 576 shown in Figs. 6 and 8 which may be manually, mechani-cally or electrically operated by standard means well-known to those skilled in the art.
The junction flow damper control 578 comprising the 15flow damper connection element 580, and the flow damper posi-tion ad~ustment element or rod 582, may be fixedly engaged in an open, closed or partially open position within the tubular conduit of the leg or rib 504 or 505 respectively, from which the rod extends through the assembly leg or rib to the rack -20exterior as shown in Fig. 8.
In one preferred embodiment, the junction flow damper position adjustment element or rod 582 generally round in cross-section is threadedly engaged within the oririce 584 through which it derines entry into the tubular conduit Or 25the rib as shown in Flg. 8, so that rotation Or said rlow damper position adJustment element 582, will arfect linear movement of said element relative to said opening or ori-~ice 584 and move the damper 570 to an open or closed position. In this embodiment, the position ad~ustment element 3~82 may be ~oined to the ~unction rlow damper connection ele-ment 582, using a universal bearing ~oint or similar device adapted to permit the rotation Or the ~unct~on ~low damper position element 580, while transmitting the linear movement of the element 580 directly to the junction flow damper con--~5 nection element 580.
To rurther circulate, or selectively force the cir-~ ~7568 culation of, temperature and humidity-controlled air or atm~s-phere through the data processing components rack 201, auxil-iary means 592 (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5) Or augment-ing the flow of atmosphere may be contained within the rack 5 or attached to said leg (504)or rib ~505) support members.
These auxiliary atmosphere rlow means 5~2 may include, illustratively, a variable speed van or fluid impelling assembly in which the fan motor is capable Or operating at varied speeds so that the flow Or air or other fluid~through 10 the support members may be selectively regulated.
The rate of flow of air or other atmosphere from the leg and rib support members 504 ana 505 of the rack 201 may be controlled, additionally~ using a variety of means including flow valves or nozzles 590 (as shown in Fig. 7) 15 on all or selected apertures 506.
Recapitulating the practice and process here in-volved, fluid, a gaseous fluid such as air, is directed from the riser ducts or ducts 290 (290a and 290b) whether supplied thereto rrom a dedicated air conditioning system in the supra 20module housing 275 or, illustratively, the supply duct 507 Or a building system. me ~uid is then transmitted through open ~re d~per closure asse~ly means 530, through orifices in the supra module partitlon.274 to the manifold 521 and into the rack assembly supply conduits or connecting rack assembly conduits 509 to the le~s 504 and ribs 505 sub~ect to ~penin~ Or the ~unction flow dampers 570 arrayed desirably at each inter-connection of rib and leg, and normally at the entry rrom the leg into the rib, so that no ~unction flow dampers are present along the more or less vertical length of the rack 30legs, although provision therefor may be made as desired and emission Or rluid therefrom through the apertures ~06 con-trolled and modiried by the flow dampers or damper plates in or optionally ~n the exterior o~ the leg and rib walls. The floh valves or nozzles 5~ may also be employed ror fluid 35emission control from the orifices 506. In addition, the rack may be sealed and provide a continuous closed fluid system.
The fluid gas or air emitted to the interior of the transaction processing enclosure 200 moves about and contacts the apparatus 230 resident in the enclosure hhich norma~ly .~
B
-34- j generates heat~ when ln useJ, at a substantlal rate. The emit-ted fluid provides the ventilation and environmental condi-tions essential to proper maintenance and perrormance Or elec-tronic apparatus particularly when maintained in a relatiYely 5 confined space. As the equipmen'c in the enclosure generates heat, and the temperature outside of the rack 201 and within the enclosure 200 is generally above that of the rack, the flow of air once disseminated from the rack into the enclosure is upward.
The circulation and upward flow Or the gaseous rluid atmosphere, warmed and rising may be accelerated by a vacuum pump or suction blower 601 disposed, illustratively, in the supra modular housing 275. In any event, the air is withdrawn rrom the enclosure 201 through the apertures Or +he upper 15 module or rotation plate 280 and the upper module partition 224 at a point or points in the latter where gases pass into and through an exhaust fire damper assembly 600 and exhaust conduit 527 and thence out Or the enclosure 200,or, alterna-tively, recycled through the dedicated environmental control 20 unit 59~. The exhaust ~ire damper assembly 600 is operated in a manner similar to those assemblies 524 described with respect to gas or air intake into the rack assembly 201 from the riser ducts 290. The exhaust rire damper is open, norr,ally, and is activated to a closed position ordinarily in the event of ~51ire or other emergency adversely arfectin~ the ~^low, cor-tent and temperature Or gases to or from the enclosure 200. The fire damper assemblies, ol` which that shown dlagrammatically and designated 60o is illustrative, may also include variable speed i`ans 53? to assure the proper flow of air3 to accelerate 30the rlow thereof in the exhaust direction and to obviate re~rerse flow.
As noted, the exhaust flow dampers 600 are connected to a duct system similar to that employed in moving the gas-eous fluids into the supra-modular housing 275~ that is, a 3sriser duct or return connection duct 527 or a plurality of such ducts and into the return duct 528 o~, for example, a return air system in a central building or room air condi-tioning system, or alternatively, from the return duct or a 1 1775~ ' plenum directly into a small, dedicated air-conditlonln~ and humidity control unit, as discussed elsewhere herein or, ~ndeed, simply into the atmosphere surrounding the enclosure 200.
A plurality of transaction processing rack assembly enclosures 10, such as shown in Fig. 4 may be supplied with a controlled atmosphere by one or more small dedicated heat, ventilation and air-conditioning units 602 Vsing a plurality o~ rack assembly supply conduits 5~9 connected at different 10 points to a rack assembly 201, several air conditioning or other fluid supply units may also supply several portions of one or several legs or ribs of a rack with difrering atmos-pheres to be distributed into a particular segment o~ the enclosure 200 to aerate different pieces Or equipment in the 15 several different areas, segments or compartments of the en-closure 200 and the plurality Or data processing components distributed throughout the rack. To efrect this tiered or segmented aeration or gaseous fluid flow the ~unction flow dampers 570 are desirably mounted to effect selective closllre 20 at a variety of points along the legs and ribs Or the rack.
To the extent that there is no access to the ambient atmosphere surrounding the transaction processing enclosures 10, the atmosphere, where a dedicated air-conditioning and humidifying unit is invol~ed, may simply be recirculated 25 for inderinite periods Or time. This system Or recycling is preferred for many purposes, since the use Or fresh air, that 1s available ~rom the ambient atmosphere, requires use of additional energy supplies for riltration and ad~ustment Or the temperature and humidity of the incoming ambient atmos- I' 3ophere.
or advanta~e in using a dedicated air-conditioning apparatus is that it may be made to respond to the particular needs Or an enclosure most efriciently and economically.
Thus, an enclosure so equipped hill thus respond to, and need only be sufficient to meet~ the requirernent en~endered by the heat Or the particular data processing components 230, for example, and other support equipment within the enclosure l . -36~ 7~56~
1 200 to~ether with any temporar~ changes in temperat~re ~r humidity introduced by air rrom the exterior when said data processing equipment enclosure is opened as well as those usually minimal or gradual in temperature caused by heat ex-change through the housing member par~itions and closure means of the rack enclosure 200. -This latter source of heat exchange is signiricantly reduced or eliminated through use O:r refractory composite panels, as described in U.S.
patent 4~381,716. This latter application discloses a preferred enclosure housing formed Or a composlte l~minate with thermal and humidity barrier ~ro~ert~es and the like for use in the enclosllres o~ the invention.
The rack itself is usually constructed Or steel, aluminum, alloys thereor other conventional relatively inflex-ible tubing materials or, indeed, Or the foregoing laminate.
To support and maintain the electronic data proces-sing components at various positions within the rack 201 a variety Or attachment and support means are employed includin~, for example, trays~ platrorms or receptacles.
~,eans ror support~n~ electronic data processing equipment 230 components or valuable documents and the like may be disposed on the legs 504 as well as on the ribs 505 of the rack 201. An illustrative equipment support unit 610 is shown in Fig.9 wherein the unit 610 cornprises the support base or tray S12, side walls 614 and flanges 616. The unit . 610 is mounted at its opposlte ends by means Or terminal flanges or tongues 616 in horizon~ally disposed tracks 618 formed on the horizontal ribs 505 to which they may be a~fixed by clips or stop elements 620 or conrined at the ~pposite ends Or each rlange 616 by the ad~acent vertical legs The tray may also be mounted on the rack by simply placing the flanges over the horizontal ribs or reac~ bars 505 Or the rack 201, as well as abuttin~ the legs 505 at e~ther end as described hereinabove. The tray 612 may also have upwardly extending protuberances (not shown) on its surrace to support a piece , ~ .
~ 7~6 Or equipment such as data processin~ comp~ne~t 230 (shown dia-grammatically) in spaced relation to the tray surrace. The entire tray is perforated in a prerçrred embodiment, in any event, to allow access to circulating gases emitted from the 5 rack and to bet~er enable the heated atmosphere about the com-ponent 503 to be removed from the enclosure 200. ~he roregoin~
protuberances facilitate circulation through the perforate tray 612.
Shelves 630 attached to only one margin or rib 505 10 may also be employed such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. These shelves may be conveniently bolted or threadedly engaged also by means o~ screws through certain of the apertures provided in the ribs 505. The shelves 630 may be telescoped to accom-modate a variety of sizes of equipment while providing the 15 minimally requ~red shelr space and thus minimal obstruction to the movement of gases in the enclosure. These shelves 630 are normally perforated as well for this purpose.
It is also within the scope o~ this invention to includecarrousel or turntable means within said rack 201 to 20 conveniently store and catalogue such valuable documents and information as computer disks and tapes, and solid-state memory devices including R.O.M. (read-only memory) and "bubble"
memory storage devices as well as critical riles, securities and the like.
Contr~l means may be integrated with said rack to efrect the categorizing Or the information or documents contained therein and adapted with means to automatically store or retrleYe said inrormation or documents.
The cables 634 that occur as a necessary incident 3 to electronic data processing equipment and the like stored ror operation wi~h~n the rack enclosure 10 including those components supplying power to the data processing apparatus in the rack 201 and those adapted to communicate between the components present in the rack are accommodated in accor-35 dance with the invention by means of the cable retention andcontrol means 638 illustrated particularly in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6.
--38- ~ ~775B8 The roregoing equipment cables 634 are adapted in a prererred embodiment to pass between the interior Or the enclosure 10 where it is connected to the contained equip-ment components and the booth exterior, ror example, to a 5 power source through one or more axially disposed conduit~, an upper and lower conduit, ~42 and 6~4 respectively. ~he upper cable conduit 640 defines a path through the supra module partition 274 and housing 275.emerging into a hung ceilin~ or other environment exterior to the enclosure 10.
10 The equipment cables 634 contained in the hung ceiling, ror example, through which they pass or from a power source 602, or communication center, enter the outer open end 642 of .
the conduit 640 and emerge at the inner end thereof 644 into the enclosure 200 passing directly to and through the cable 15 retention means or holding ring 636 of the cable rentention and control means 638. The retention means 636 is mounted upon a leg 504, or prererably for many purposes a rib 505, and serve to orient the entering cables in a slack clustered engagement ~rom which they pass to the cable binding ring 646 having preferably an ad~ustable diameter and ~ormed of a smooth, strong material o~ generally non-eroding character, which may be firm or a resilient, or soft, pliant material such as rub-ber, or the like. The cable binding ring 646 is secured to a sprin~; or other tension contrnl device 654 and the ~atter, 5 in one embodiment is attached to a connecting or tension cable cord 648. The cord is desirably metered out ~ an automated tension control means 652 and a spring 654 to assure the desired tension on the cable 634 in the cable binding ring 646. A spring alone 654, or, indeed, a motor devlce, may be 3 employed eliminating use Or the tension control means 652 and tension ca~le or cord 648. The tension control means 652 is mounted on a rib 505 and disposed vertically below that to which the cable retention means 638 is secured. The equip-ment cables 634 are next routed to a yoke assembly 660 mounted conveniently adjacent the holding ring 636 on the same rib 505 or one disposed at the same level, although the par'ci-cular level is not narrowly critical, so long as it is on the same side Or the cable binding ring or hook 646 as the holding ..~, ~39~ 1~7~6~
rln~ 636 so that the cables 634 in passing to the yoke assembly will pass through the hoiding ring 636 and through or over the binding ring or hook 646, back thr~ugh the holding ring ln a direction opposite to that in which the cables passed through 5 the ring 636 in their initial passage rrom the conduit 640 and thence to the yoke 660.
It will be evident that a second holding ring 636 may be used to contain the cables in their return from the binding ring or hook 646 enroute to the yoke assembly 660, and thence lO through which the cables pass to the individual equipment com-ponents 230. The clustered cables are separated and held in fixed engagement by the yoke 660.
The controlled metering and orderly distribution o~
the cables within the rack assembly enclosure lO is significant 15 in preservation of the cable, prevention of the tangling there-of, and, with its concomitant efficiency~ is particularly im-portant in permitting use of a reduced area ~or distribution and maintenance of a maximum number Or data processing or other equipment components within the enclosure lO. This 20 facet of the present invention is particularly significant in order to provide limited, or a single, access means to the enclosure which is accomplished in a preferred embodiment by means of a turntable 244 such as described elsewhere herein.
~he meterin~ and distribution Gr equipment cables as described hereinabove ~as particu~ar rererence to those cables 634 entering the rack enclosure lO through the upper cable conduit 640.
It will be evident that equipment cables 634 may be fed alternatively or simultaneously rrom a power source or 3 the like through a building rloor underneath the enclosure lO as shown in Fig. 3 and enter the enclosure through the 1.
lower cable conduit 642 passing ~n like manner to that des-cribed hereinabove and sequentially to a reten~ion~means Gr holder 636 binding ring 660 and back through the holder arter rorming a cable loop and passing thence to the yoke ass~mbly 660 and equipment components 230. The use Or cable distri-bution means and entry thereinto of cable at both ends of - - \
~ 77~6~
the enclosure 10 is useful where a large number o~ cables 634 and components 230 are introduced into the enclosure 10 .
The yoke assemblies 660 are panels containing a 5 plurality of orifices 662 o~ adjustable diameter. The panel is, in each instance, constructed of firm, resilient material having a high dielectric strength such as rubber or plastics. The diameter of the panel orifices 662 may be fixed and of standard size in which Gase, however, 10 caulking compound, such as silicone rubber may be secured about the surface of the cable 634 at the orifice 662 to assure fixed engagement of the cable therein.
The use of the automated tension control means 652 is particularly preferred where the rack is mounted on a 15 turntable 244 so that ready adjustment to the variations in tension on the cable 634 and the need for increased lengths of cable 634 (or diminution thereof) may be readily accom-modated. For this purpose, senson means (not shown~ are conveniently incorporated in the tension control means 652, 20 which may be ad~ustable.
The foregoing sensor or detector means comprises, desirably, an electrical circuit or mechanical transmission known to those skilled in this art. The control and tension metering of the device 654 is integrated with means to 25 extend and retract the spring 654 and tension cable 64~
or other appropriate means known to those skilled in the art to release or take up the slack of the cable loops in response to the rotation of the rack 201, or where so adapted movement o~ the rack assembly laterally on an extensible 30 ramp of the turntable 244 or the enclosure floor or base 284 through the enclosu~e access means to the enclosure exterior. It is also ~easible to raise and lower the turntable 244 and rack 201 if desired and described elsewhere herein.
A rack assembly mount or turntable 244 adjusted to vertical movement and incorporating a slidable extension component 680 upon which the rack 201 is disposed is shown particularly in Figs. 3, 10 and 11.
L~
~77~ ~
The enclosure for containment of the rack assembly 201 may also be constructed in the manner shown in Fig. 13 of United States patent 4,121,523 in which the upper module rotation plate 280 of the patent (rendered 5 perforate) is present and the rotatable shaft 276, also of the patent, is made hollow for the purpose of serving as a cable conduit 640 in the manner shown~ for example, in ~ig. 3 of the drawings herein. Arcuately shaped orifices (not shown) may, in this instance, usually of 10 up to 180 may be formed in the rotation plake 280 of accommodate rotakion of the plate 280 of the patent, without impinging upon the rack assembly supply ducts 509 or the like, as shown in Fig. 3 hereof.
The rack assembly mount or turntable 244 is com-15 posed of a stationary platform component 690 and a slidable platform component 692; the two components having a coplanar horizontàl alignment. The stationary platform 690 is formed of two lateral wings 694 forming opposite borders of the rack assembly mounk 244 and an 20 intermediate tongue 696 extending o~twardly from a common base 698 in parallel alignment with the t~o foregoing wings 694. The common base 698 of the stationary platform 690 forms a third margin of the turntable connecting those provided by the two wings 694. The tongue 696 extends 25 forward sufficiently to encompass the orifice 696 which defines passage for the lower cable conduit 700 and the axle 702 for support and optional rotation of the assem-bly mount or turntable 244 thus preventing occlusion of the axle or centrally positioned assembly mount support 30 means 702 or shearing of the cable 634 entrained within the cable conduit 700 at their point o~ entry into the enclsoure 10. In one embodiment, as shown in Fig. 11, the base member 698, wings 694 and tongue 696 to provide a supporting tray 708 for the extensible plakform 692. The 35 movable or extensible platform 692 comprises a body 710 and two lateral arms 712 adapted for fitted engagement on and about the tongue 696 and between the offsets or recesses of the wings 694 of the stationary platform. The two arms 712 and the body 710 of the extensible platform 692 are adapted to seat the _42- .
rack assembly 201, as shown illustratively in Flg. 3~ where the rlbs 505 and legs 504 are mounted along the length of the arms 712 and the body 710, As shown in Fig. 3 the rack 201 omits an interconnecting leg acrosslthe base 698 Or the assem-5 bly mount or turntable although one may be present so long asit is removed from contact with the surface Or the base 698 or tongue 696 so that the rack 201 can move rreely on the extensible platrorm 692 as it is moved laterally away from ~ts fitting abutment with the stationary platrorm 690.
The lateral or outer margins o~ the body 710 and arms 712 are adapted for slideable engagement illustratively by provision of a ~rack or channel on the inner abutting mar-gins Or the wings 694. The outer margins of the body and arms are provided with continuous shoulders or rlanges 720 that fit 15 in the foregoing channels to provide the extensible inter-action between the stationary (690~ and movable (692) platform components.
~ he extension of the slidable plat~orm 692 of the rack assembly mount or turntable 244 laterally is controlled 20 by manual, mechanical or electrical means or combinations thereof.
. Orfsets or recesses 693 are conveniently provided along the channels or tracks of the arms 694 Or the inexten-sible or stationary platrorm 690 to abut with stop elements or ,5 detents 695 pro~ided along the lateral margins of the htings 712 o~ the laterally movable platrorm 692 to preven~ uncontrolled movement or separation o~ the segments 690 and 692 Or the assembly mount 244 rrom one another. ~his arrangement is most errective where the platform segments are formed Or a resilient 3 material.
The free outlet margin 722 of the body 710 of the extensible platform 622 may be constructed to register with the terminal borders 726 Or the wings 694 o~ the stationary platform component 690~ and support tray 708. The extensible 35 platform may be secured in registry with the support tray 708 and wings 624 by any standard means, such as a hinged spring steel clip 730 as shown in ~ig. 11 or by loc~ing the drive ~~ ~
1 ~775B~
-'J3-en~agement means of the extensible platform 6~2. As described elsewhere herein, the turntable 244 is perrorated to provide ror free rlow Or gaseous fluids within the rack assembly en-cl~sure 10. This ~s accomplished where extensible 692 and 5 inextensible 620 components are present by having the perrora-tions 697 (shown illustratively in Figs. 1 and 3) Or the two platrorms in registry when the extensible platrorm 692 is in enclosed abutting relation to the inextensible platrorm 690 the normal state except during repair or maintenance Or equip-10 ment 230 in one embodiment Or the invention.
The rack assembly mount or turntable 244 is mountedupon the axle 702 by means Or the intermediate tongue 6~6 Or the laterally inextensible or stationary platrorm 690. The tongue is mounted about the upper terminal periphery of the 15 axle 702 and provides the oririce 699 for the lower conduit 7Ao~ cont_ined within and formed by the axle 702 as described elsewhere herein.
The axle 702 which forms part Or a platform or turntable support assembly 732 is adapted ror rotation by 20 standard mechanical or electrical means, or even manually, or a combination Or the foregoing, that will include provision for adjustment Or the height Or the turntable 244, as well, in a prererred embodiment. The axle 702 may be formed Or a plurality of telescuping tubular components ror this purpose.
25 ~he axle and its componentS are su~riciently strong, in any ~vent, to support the equipment li~ely to be mounted upon the rack as~embly 201 seated ~n ~he turntable 244 J including, il~ustrati~ely, one or more electronic eq~ipment components or main~rame computer apparatus with the outer sheath removed, 3 ranging in weight up to rive hundred to slx hundred pounds and indeed several thousand pounds or mo~e.
In a prererred embodiment,shown semi-dia~rammatically in Fig. 10 vertical adjustment of the support axle 702, and 35the rack assembly 201 and turntable 244~ is secured by means of a hydraulic ~ack assembly 740. This assembly includes a standard hydraulic cy]inder 741 mounted about the axle 702.
5he hydraulic cylinder 741 is ~onnected to a pressure trans-~ 5-44-ducer 742 by means of the cable j43 qhe transducer may in- .
c~ude, ~or example, a hydraulic or gas actuating cylinder and pressure release assembly and may be operated manually by means o~ the root pedal 744 as shown illustrativelY in ~ig. 10.
5 Wmere manual operation Or the ~ack assemblY is contemplated, particularly, the actuating means, such as the pedal 744 and associated hydraulic and pressure release system are mounted conveniently on the floor 284 of the enclosure 200 in proximity to the enclosure access means. Electrical, electromechanical 10 or other standard means o~ operation may be integrated to efrect not only vertical adjustment but rotation of the axle 702 and turntable 244 and may be provided excl~sively within the enclosure 200 or adapted to operate by a control means disposed outside of and remote rrom the enclosure 200.
The rotation Or the turntable may, when present, be effected by means completely severed from those used ror ~ertical adjustment Or the rack assembly 201.
Means for securing the rack assembly 201 and the turntable 244 and axle 702 on which they are disposed in rixed position with respect to rotary movement thereof is also incorporated in the practice of the present invention.
Thus, as shown with particular reference to Figs.
10 and 11 Or the drawings, there is disposed in spaced rela-tion to the under surface Or the ine~tensible platrorm 690 and about the a~le 702, but in a ~i~ed position free Or en-~a~ement therewith, a rotary control plate 750 incorporating a spring biased bolt 752 mounted in the upper surrace Or the plate 750 and adapted to be received in the recesses 754 mounted radially about and at a like distance from, the axle 3 702. This arrangement perm~ts the bolt 752 to be released .and received in any predetermined recess 754 in the course of rotation o~ the plate 7509 staying the rotation of the turn-table 244 together with the rotary movement of the plate 750 and axle 702. When the bolt 752 is withdrawn from a recess 754 against the force of the spring 756 the turntable 244 will rotate in response to the rotary movement of the axle 702~ The bolt 752 is retracted in the embodiment shown ln ~.~
~775~
Fig. 10 by manual activatlon Or the root pedal 758 which communicates with the plate 750 and bolt 752 by means Or the cable contained in the structural support member 760 using conventional electrical circuitry al~hough a variety Or other 5 mechanical and electromechanical means may be supplied. The plate is maintained in position by a plurality Or structural members, two Or which 770; 771 appear ~n Fig. 10. Normally three or four generally evenly spaced legs or members secured to the ~loor 284 at one end and to the sides o~ the plate lOassembly 750 are employed.
To otherwise prevent rotation of the turntable 244 in excess of 180 which is ordinarily unnecessary and tends to induce tangling and undue extension of equipment cables and damage or at least significantly less effective utiliz-15 ation Or the supply ducts 507 and return ducts 509 and thelike, in any event, the plate 750 is provided with-rotary control arms 760 as shown in Fig. 11. These arms 760 radiate from the rotary control plate 750 and kerminate in upwardly directed fingers or stops 762 adapted to interrupt downwa~dly 20 disposed stops or detents 764 pro~ecting at suitable inter-vals rrom the bottom Or the platform 629, In one embodiment, the control arms 760 are attached to the plate 750 or about the axle in such a manner as to provide ~or rotation to a variety Or fixed positions so that, for example, arcs of less 25 than 180 in rotation o~ the turntable 244 can be secured as desired.
A rurther and modified embodiTnent Or the rac~
assembly enclosure 10 Or the invention is shown ~n Fig. 12.
In the assembly of this latter embodiment, the rack enclosure 3010 or a plurality thereor are incorporated in an article Or rurniture constituting, in the illustrative embodiment Or Fig.
12, a tiered work station 770 incorporatiing a plurality Or enclosures 200 o~ reduced size in each Or which is mounted a rack ~01 slidably mounted on an e~tensible perrorate (6~7) 35table or platrorm 244a.
The rack enclosures 10 or enclosures 200 and at least one compartment containin~ at least one enclosure are dis-tri~,uted in a plurality of tiers; ror e~ample, at least one upper tier 774 re~essed rrom the work surrace or tab~e top 778; and, illustratively, at least one lower tier 780, usually one tier, disposed beneath t~e table top. Compartments and the like ror retention Or books~ papers and the like may also be provided.
Attached to the work station 770, at its sides and along its back preferably where they do not impair access to the various enclosures 10 and 200 are the posts 782 at least one and usually several of which are hollow and serve generally 10 the purposes accomplished by the supra modular housing 275, and the riser ducts 290 and cable conduit 640 disposed therein, Or the rack assembly enclosure 10 Or Fig. 3. The posts are attached to the ceiling where used for this purpose and to de~
fine entry into the ceiling, for example, a conventional Hung ceiling, of the racility where-the transaction work table 770 is installed to permit interconnection with the heat, ventila-tion and air-conditioning system and supply and return ducts therein or a dedicated system directed to the needs of t~e unit 770 or a plurality thereof. The unit 770, in the manner provided with respect to the rack assembly enc~osure 10 o~
Figs. 1 to 11 may incorporate safety and security systems such as fire detection and fire suprèssion means and the like; and will incorpora~e emergency access to alternate sources o~
power and access.
It will be evident that the number of such posts is not critical nor is the number Or recesses or the length and number of the tiers in the work station 770.
Co~puter termin~ls 230, areJ in one embodinJent, convenlently main~ained ror ready access in the enclosures 3 200 of the upper tier or console sectisn 774 o~ the unit 770 whereas other data processing components not providing read-outs or the like are to be maintained in the rack assemblies 201~ incorporated~ generally, in the lower tier 780.
Either~ or in indeed, additional, tiers may however contain the computer terminals, diminutive co~,puters or micro-computers or the other and well-known components, illustra-tively, Or a microcomputer system. ~ne enc~osures of the unit ~7~S~
770 are, generally more diminutive, in any event, where used in the work stat~on 770 than those contemplated herein with respect to the rack enclosure 10 of Figs. 1 to 11 and have, additionally and usuallyJ a modified closure means 224 (and 225 where present) to occlude the access means 786.
The closure means 224 may be slidable, flexible and segmented and paired to meet at or near the center of the access means or be formed of a single element that closes at the side. The components of the closure means are most desirably adapted to recede into slideways (not shown) arrayed on each, or one side or above each enclosure depending, illustratively, whether, respectively, a paired or single closure means is employed. A closure means 224 may also be adapted to encompass several enclosures in a single tier or multiple tiers in which the access means of the several tiers are in vertical align-ment but this approach is ordinarily significantly less preferred in that while it permits a certain economy of construction it will permit unnecessary exposure to the atmosphere of equipment contained in enclosures to which access is not required. It is of course feasible to provide an over-all closure means 225 for each enclosure 200, and, in addition, provide a removable inspection plate to access means requiring infrequent use.
An outer transparent closure means 224 and inner impact resistant, opaque heat refractive closure means 225 is also desirable so that by retraction of the inner closure rneans 225 the necessary observations can be made of the equipment housed in the rack assembly enclosure 10 or enclosure 200 without opening the enclosure to the ambient atmosphere.
The closure means 224, and where present, 225, may be opened and closed manually using conventional handles 800 or be monitored and controlled mechanically or electrically.
rrhe closure means, and indeed the housing and con~
struction of each enclosure 200 is that described elsewhere herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 11 hereof and as de-Scribed in U.S. patent 4,121,523 and U.S. patent 4,3~1,716.
"~
1~775~
Similarly, the rack 201 with its generally vertical legs 504 and usuàlly horizontal reach bars or ribs 505 ~re arr~yed~ as well, in the manner and with the possible varia-tions, and using the materials described above with rererence 5 to the embodiments of the invention Or Figs, 1 to 11 hereof.
The duct system including the rack assembly supply ducts 509 shown in Fig. 12 are ~n like manner included into a system incorporating supply connector ducts 290, The enclosure includes return conduits 527 as, and in the manner 10 described in Figs, 1 to 11, and including the components Or the supra modular housing 275 mounted on or through the per-~orate housing partition 274 thereor.
The work station 770 may include cable retention control and metering means as well (not shown) which, with the 15 fluid supply and return means, are integrated in each tier in-to a generally horizontal collection conduit 790 which c~nnects with the verticle collection ducts 792 for~ed in certain or all of the posts 782 mounted on the unit 770.
These latter ducts 792 de~ine passage into the hung ceiling 286 and are distributed therethrough in the manner shown, for example, in Fi~. 4 hereof, in one embodiment of the invention.
The rack assemblies 2~1 and contained eo,uipment 230 shown illustratively in the lower tier 780 of Fig, 12 or the contained equipment itselr as shown, a~ain illustratively and 25 semi-diagranlmatic~lly> in the upper t~er 774 Or the unit 770 are adapted to linear extention through the access means 786 o~ each enclosure ror maintenance~ inspection, repair and the like on the laterally extensible plat~orm 244a, an operat~on ~ made possible by the ~lexible character Or the ducts 509, ~nd 30 the tracks 7~4 or other means Or transport such as ball bear-ings mounted upon the enclosure base 284~
It is noted that, as with the embodiments Or Figs.
1 to 11 the system of fluid supply and cable m~na~ement in-volved in retention and operation of the ~lectronic data pro-35cessing equipment 230 ~ithin the several enclosures 10 can be -48a-1 1775~
transmitted thro~h thel condu~ts 7~0 and 782 to the space pro-vided underneath the ~loor Or ~he racility or building in which the work station is loca~edl and to po~er supply and f~uid, ~or example, heat, ventilation~ and air-conditioning 5ducts or dedicated air conditioning units located therein, or adjàcent thereto.
A dedicated heating~ ventilating and air condition-ing or other atmospheric control unit 5g9 such as sho~n semi-dia~ra~atically in Fig. 1 incorporated ~ithin the rack , -lOassembly enclosure 10 may also be inc~uded in the ~;ork station770 of Fig. 12 or the modified hork station 770 shown in Fi~s.
13 to 15.
As pre~riously described, the.r~ow Or air or other a~n,osphere to the rack assemblies 201 Or the ~arious rack 15assembly enclosures 10 is provided through supply connect-on ducts or plenums 2~0 as sho~n in ~ig. 12 to rack assembly supply ducts 509. The air or other at~ospherc circulated throu~h the le~s 50~ ana ribs 505 Or the rack 201 in each in-stance and exposed to the var ous data pr~cessJn~ e~uipment compone"ts 230, is returned to the atmospheric control unit 599 through return conàuits or plenums 527, inte~rated within the work station housing 770 and connected to the atlnospheric control unit 599.
D
In a prererred embodiment, t}le a~rr~osp~erie con~rol unit is adapted to function as a heat exchan~e unit~
removing ~ne heat generated by the electronic equipment 230 returned in the atmosphere flowing through the return conduits or plenums 527 and reconditioning it for flow return through : ducts or plenums 2~0. No "rresh" or external air is required within this system because no human occupant is present within the closed system of the' work station 770 or enclosure 10. Only heat loads generated by the equipment 230 housed therein need be removed by the atrnospheric con-trol unit 5~9, achieving a significant advantage in the efricient use Or energy. As desc'ri~ed elséwhere herein, the heat so generated may be released to the' surrounding room environment or into the central building return system.
Also, as described hereinabove, the recycled heat received by the atmospheric control unit 52~ is released into the surroundin~ room environment or into the central building return system.
The enclosures 10 may have a plurality Or access and closure means, such 2S shown in Fig. 4, some of which are adapted to provide opt~mal a'c'cess ror operatlon thereof anq others to-provide optimal service access to ' the data processin~ components 230 disposed therein.
' . Due to the requirements for prevention of the trans-~ 25 mission of electromagnetic ener~y from data processing systerncornponents disposed within the work station 770 and indeed, the free standing enclosure 10, especially in the radio fre-quency band, the use Or adequate shielding and attenuation systems within these modules is of great importance as des-scribed in, U.S. patent 4,381,716. The use of composite panel systemdescribed therein, to~form the housing members of the work station 770 and the enclosure 10, has the desirable properties of providing a barrier to the transmission of electromagnetic energy as well as to insulate and protect the interior of the enclosure against ~775B8 5o-high t~mpera~ure conditlons In addition the insulating properties Or the coJnposite panel still further impro~es the er~ergy efficiency o~ the rack enclosure 1~ desc~ibed herein .
; 5 The transmissi~on of computer or electronic communi-cations, signal and power cables in ~nd out of the enclosure 10 and work.station 770 is of speci~al importance since the conduit or cable entry areas provided in these enclosures are otherwise very vulnerable to penetration by hostile en-vironmental pollutants such as hot gases, smoke particles, flames and water~ The means tb protect these interfaces, using intumescent gasket materials is-described in U.S. patent 4,381,716.
It will be evident that in addition, or as an !
alternative, to electronic data processing equipment~ all manner of other sensitive equipment and valuable documents and records may be retained in -the enclosures 10 and work stations 770 incorporating these enclosures~
In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is mounted about th.e periphery o~ the. under surface of the supra modular partition 274 a plural~ty of folded shrouds 850 made of a flame retardant fa~ric encased in a release capsule (not shown) or simply retained by a latch assembly ~52 adapted to retain the shroud or shrouds in a compact and folded state ready ~or release in response to security or environmental needs, as shown~ More particularly, in Figs 1, ~ 13 and 14.. The shroud i.s adapted ~or release from the capsule or latch assembly 85?~to form a curtain (not shown) ~ in response to a monitored control remote from the enclosure 30 10 or automatically in response to, for example, a sudden or~significant rise in temperature or as the result of impinging liquid or contaminating particulate matter in the .~
t~
~ 1775 air such as in the case Or smoke. The shrouds are adapted to fall about the outside of the rack assembly 201 and with-in the enclosing walls and closure means of the enclosure 200~ The shrouds, where a plurality are used, are so posi-; . 5 tioned that the lateral borders of the released shrouds will be in contiguous or overlapping relation~
The latch. assembly 852 is adapted to release the shroud cover 850 ~o fall around the rack. 201 under the conditions described hereinabove. The latch assembly 852 may be '10 actuated by a variety of means appa:rent to one skilled in the art including n~nual, mechanical, pneum~tic, electrical means~ or combina.tions- thereof in one prefer:red embodiment Or which, the latch .would~ incorporate a solenoid system adapted t.o pull the shroud holding element or latch 852 from a friction catch. fastener (not shown2 on the opposite end of the latch of holding element assembly 852. In any event, the holding element may be fitted with end fasteners which are adapted to attach it to the friction catch and solenoid.
The shroud may be composed of a variety Or materials adapted to resist the penetration of heat, water and th.e ~ikeg including but not limited to a ~ylar film~ alone ~ in a significantly preferred conibination in a bonded laminate with a ~urther insulating ply l'ormed Or a ~lexible bonded ceramic f'ibrous material such as described in U.S. patent 4,381,716 o:f one of the inventors herein 25 and another.
The shroud cover 850 may be left covering the equip-` Irent; in one embodilnent and folded away to provide service access or automatically released from a compact, folded or rolled state to cover the l~ack. 201 in the event of an abnor-mal or emergency condition such as rire or ~lood.
The shroud retaining element, or retaining bond, or latch 852 is adapted to hold the shroud i~n its compact state for emergency release as described above. The shroud retain-ing latch means 852 further comprises a retaining bank which may be a continuous member or intermittant bond or strap 854, . . .
h- ~, . . - - --52 ~r~S~
. .
~~` holding the shroud cover 850 at intervals. It may fllrther comprise means for the release o~ said retaining ban~ g52 such as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The retainlng band may be fastened at one end to a spring loaded or friction latch 5 856 adapted to release the end 85 Or the retaining band upon exertion of the appropriate force. The band ~54, thus free, permits the shroud cover 850 to fall about the rack 201. A means of applying the appropriate force to the friction latch 856 may be provided, illustratively~ by means of a solenoid 858, shown diagrammatically, attached to the opposite end 860 of the band 854. Retraction of the solenoid 858 Will thus exert a force upon the end fasteners or friction latch 825, transmitted through the band 854. The solenoid can be replaced with an equiva-15 lent force-generating apparatus activated by electrical, hydraulic, mechanical means or manual means obvious to one skilled in the art.
The shroud cover 850 is preferably made of a lightweight pliable material which is water resistant and 20 reflective of thermal energy. Among the materials which may be used include multiple ply composites or laminates, non-bonded multiple ply composites and single component fabrics or films as described in U.S. patent 4,381,716. A significantly preferred material is a composite comprising an outer, reflec-25 tive foil ply continuously or intermittantly bonded to atleast one ply of ceramic fiber material preferably in a cross-woven blanket fabric or paper form. The outer reflective ply may be eight gauge aluminum or mylar sheet.
In addition, the shroud cover may be adapted in 30 two fluid-tight components which may be inflated to provide a tight seal against the interior of the housing 200 to resist or prevent the entry of contaminates therein. In this embodiment, a rubberized, inflatable inner member may be added to the singificantly preferred embodiment described 35 above.
..
I ~.'7~s~a A small dedicated source Or gas such as air or nitrogen may be selr-contained within the enclosureto p~vide the requisite in~lation, illustrated by the pneumatic reser-voir.`534 in.Fig 1.
5-. It will be evident that the terms and expres-sion which have been employed are used as terms Or description and not of limiation. There is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions Or excluding equivalents of the features sho~n and described or portions thereof and it is 10 .- recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the~invention claimed.
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: