US1727998A - Cooler and humidifier - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 10, 1929. R, D MATTESQN 1,727,998

COOLER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed June 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l /7 /f ha j .I u vul, lll" W" "Mig a l| l il f 7 a 1 l l Sept. 10, 1929. R D, MATTESON 1,727,998

COOLER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed June 50, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuentoa Patented Sept. 10, 1 929f UNITED STA RALPH D. MATTESON, OF EAGLE, IDAHO.

COOLER AND Application led .Tune 30,

vThis invention .relates to an improved cooler and humidifier adapted to be used for cooling and moistening the air in a room, receptacle or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a small and compact humidifier that is equipped with efficient moisture supplying means, the wetted surface area of which is relatively great. E

Another object is to provide an improved humidifier adapted for use in conjunction with a small portable electric fan for causing the air in a room, receptacle or the like to ass over a means for supplying suficient moisture to said air to maintaln it in a cool and humid condition.

Still another object is to provide an efficient and inexpensive humidifier of simple construction that requires a minimum amount of attention to maintain it in an operative condition.

Other objects are to provide for ready and economical manufacture, assembly and repair, and to provide a construction which 1s exceedingly durable and easily handled.

The invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the ac companying drawings and claimed.

f In the drawings:

Figure l is a sideelevational view of a cooler and humidifier embodying the present invention and having an electric fan operatively associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section online 3-3 of Figure 2. v

Figure l is a perspective view of one of -the wick elements of the moisture supplying unit or battery, partly broken away and 1n section. i

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the Water pan; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the hood or cover for the moisture supplying unit or battery, drawn on a smaller scale.

Briefly described, my improved cooler and humidifier consists of a unit in the form of a plurality of upright metal plates 5 rigidly air in circulating between the HUMIDIFIER.

1928. Serial N0. 289,474.

connected in spaced parallel relation to provlde a plurality of spaces or passageways therebetween through which air circulates, and means for supplying moisture to the air that circulates through said spaces or passageways. The moisture supplying means preferably consist of suitable ,sheets of fabric 6 secured on and covering both surfaces of the intermediate plates5 and the inner surfaces of the outer plates 5 so as to be contacted 6o by the air which circulates through ,the spaces or passageways between the plates, and means for supplying water to said sheets of fabric, preferably by capillary attraction. The means preferably employed for supplying 0355A moistureto the fabric 6 preferably consists of ashallow Water pan 7 in which the lower portion of the moisture supplying unit or battery is adapted to be removably positioned so as to submerge the lower portions of the sheets of fabric 6 in the Water contained in the pan 7, whereby said sheets of fabric are kept in a wetted condition as the moisture evaporates or is absorbed therefrom by the lates. Obviously, when the air is rapidly circulated between the plates, a correspondingly rapid evaporation of water takes place with a consequent absorption of'heat from the plates, whereby the humidified air einer ing from 8o between the plates will be apprecia ly cooled or lowered in temperature. r

Freni the above it will be seen that the moisture supplying unit consists of a plurality of wick elements each consisting in a plate 5 and its fabric covering sheet 6. The metallic plates 5 are provided with corner perforations or openings 8 through which bolts 9 are passed having nuts 10 applied to the ends thereof to maintain the plates rigidly con- 9o nected, suitable spacing sleeves V1l being placed upon the bolts 9' between adjacent plates uto maintain them in the required spaced parallel relation. In this way, a very simple and durable moisture supplying unit is provided which may be readily and economically manufactured and assembled or taken apart for cleaning or repair. As shown, the sheets ofsfabric 6 are stretched tightly over the surfaces of the plates 5 and secured in 100 lace thereon by means of metallic marginal indinv strips 12 which are disposed to embrace t e end and top edges of the plates 5 and grip the margins of the sheet of fabric 6 asillustrated in'Figures 2 and 4. These binding strips 12 are of U-shape in section and preferably of resilient form so that they may be forcibly applied or removed tofacilitate renewal of the sheets of fabric 6. However, the binding strips 12 may be' flexible and adapted to be tightly clinched in place by the use of any suitable tool if found desirable. A single strip of cloth may be employed for covering both faces of the intermediate plate 5, in which case the cloth 'is passed around the lower edge of the plate as illustrated in Figure 4.

The unit above described is adapted to be set in the pan 7 so as to rest upon the bottom thereof, and in order that the unit may be "maintained centered in this pan, the latter is vpreferably /provided with a continuous. inwardly directed top flange 13 of sufficient width as to define an opening in the top of the pan of just sufficient size to permit the introduction of the lower portion of the moisture supplying unit therethrough, although permitting removal of thelatter without material liability of scratching or marring the exposed surfaces ofthe outer metallic plates 5,

The circulation of air between the plates or wick elements may be effected by I iatural circulation or through the medium of forced draft. In the latter event, the cooler and humidiier is preferably 'used in conjunction with an ordinary portable electric fan 14, the diameter of the impeller of which preferably equals the width of the moisture supplying unit or the distancebetween the outer plates of said unit. When a larger fan is employed, the number of wick elements or plates may be increased, and a cover or hood employed as shown in Figures' 1 to 3 inclusive and 6, to accommodate for the increase in the diameter of the fan impeller over the height of the plates or wick elements. As shown, this cover or hood preferably consists of an inverted U- shaped sheet metal channel member of gradually decreasing depth `from one end to the other, and composed of a slanting top Wall 16 and tapering vertical side walls 17 adaptedy to rest at their lower edges on the heads of the bolts 9 and on the nuts 10 at the outer sides of the outer ones of the plates 5 of the moisture supplying unit. A cross bar 18 is preferably secured in the deeper end of the hood so as to connect the side plates 17 thereof near the lower edges of said side plates or walls 17, in position to extend across and rest upon the upper edges of the wick elements or plates of the moisture supplying unit as shown. The shallower end of the hood or cover is clamped upon the adjacent end of the mois- -v ture supplying unit by means of an inverted U-shaped clamping strap 19 applied to the ladjacent'connecting bolt 9 of said moisture supplying unit so'as to embrace said sh allower end of the hood. In'this way the cover or v hood is firmly held in place so that its sloping top wall 16 will divert the current of air from the upper portion of the fan impeller downwardlyinto the spaces or passageways be tween the battery of plates or wick elements,

it being understood that the fan is positioned adjacent the deeper or larger end of the hood or cover. When the fan is in operation, air will be forced through the spaces between the plates 5,v entering said spaces at one end of the moisture suppl ing unit and emerging therefrom at the ot er end of said unit in a cool and humid condition. Vhenever it is necessar to replenish the supply of water in the pan the moisture supplying unit or bat- V tery may readil be removed to permit this to be convenient y done.

A humidifier of the above construction may be used to keep the air in a building, room or receptacle in a humid conditiomfand to cool such air Without any care or attention on the part of an operator, except to fill the pan 7 occasionally. F urthermore,the cooler and humidifier is small andcompact so that it may be transported easily from place to place and will take up very little space. On the other hand, although the device is small, it has a high degree of efficiency owing to the relatively great area of moisture supplying surface provided by the sheets of fabric 6. The device may be further manufactured at a low cost and the fabric that supplies the Imoisture to the air can be quicklyl removed and cleaned.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is: 1. Ina cooler and humidifier, a water pan, a moisture supplying unit comprising a series of upright wick elements embodying cloth covered metallic plates, said plates and the cloth covering therefor being provided with registering o enings in the respective corners thereof, e ongated bolts extending through the respective corner openings, spacingl sleeves arranged on the bolts between the adjacent lates for maintaining the same in spaced re ation, nuts threaded on the outer .ing sleeves arranged on the bolts through the respective corner openin s, spacetween the adjacent plates for maintaining the same in space relation, nuts threaded on the outer ends of the bolts to secure the parts in assembled relation, the lower end portions of the cloth covered plates being adapted to rest in the water an, said spaced cloth covered plates providing air circulating assages therebetween, an inverted channe -shaped hood includin a sloping top wall and tapered side wal s for dispos1tion above the moisture supplying unit, the lower edges of the side walls resting upon the respective pairs of nuts, a cross bar secured in the deeper end of the hood for rest across the upper edges of the cloth covered plates, and an inverted U-shaped clampin strap extending across the shallower end o the hood, the free ends of the arms of said strap member being connected to the respective ends of the adjacent bolt.

3. A cooler and humidifier comprising an open top water pan, a plurality of spaced vertical plates having their lower ends removably positioned in and resting on the bottom of said Water pan, said plates projecting upwardly from said water pan to provide horizontal open-ended air passages between the projecting upper portlons thereof, absorbent covermgs on said plates for supplying moisture from said pan to the air flowin through said assages, and a cover mounted directly over t e tops of said plates to prevent upward escape of the air from said passages and thereby cause flow of the air horizontally entirely through said passages for being thoroughly cooled and humidified.

In testimony whereof I -aiix m signature.

RALPH D. MA TESON.

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