US1815951A - Air moistener - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1931. Q M MlLLs 1,815,951

AIR MoIsTENERv Filed Sept. 6, 1929 ff' 1- Y l5 f 0 v Y I Z' 76 I ||I| L .l l i (f 5 fd? 5 32 .50 /p 43 I //1 f Patented July 2s, 1931 AIB MOIS'TENEB Application led September 6, 1929. Serial No. 390,711..

This invention pertains to 'air moisteners or humidiers, such as are used 'for moistening the air in dwellings, oices, industrial establishments, or other enclosures, and relates more particularly to improved means for bringing water and air into intimate contact in such a way as eiflciently and rapidly tov load an air current substantially to the saturation point lwith finely divided water but without spattering ,orA wetting down the surroundings. Additionalv features of utility and novelty, particularly applicable to a clevice of portable type, will be pointed out at length in. the appended detailed descrip- 1.1 tion and by reference to the acccompanying drawings, wherein one preferred embodiment of the vinvention is illustrated by way of example. f

In the drawlngs': Fig. 1 is a diametricalvertical section showing the invention as embodied in a portable humidier; 4

, Fig. 21s a vertical section to larger scale, showing details of the water lifting element and atomizing disc; and Fig. 3 is a frag-mentaryplan view of the parts'shown in g. 2.

The present inventionis.illustrated as emr. `bodied in a humidifier of the general type described in' the patents to- Mills, No.

2n-1,439,319,1)ember 19, 1922; No. 1,537,650,

May 12, 1925; and No. 1,604,295, October 26, 1929, to which reference may be had for a more detailed disclosure of certain of the. structural features.y As in the arrangement' illustrated in Patent No. 1,604,295, the present apparatus may conveniently comprise a pan, dlsh or other receptacle 1 of suitable shape (here shown as substantially flat-bottomed) and -usually made from sheetmetal, although any other desirable substance, for example glass or ceramic material, may be used. The upper wall of the receptacle preferably comprlses a substantially vertical 4iiange 5 whichdei fines atop opening of large diameter'within which a retaining ring 6 fits snugly. This ring 6 is held in place detachably, if desired, 1n any suitable manner, as illustrated for ex-I vample in my patent just referred to. Preferably the ring 6 is furnished with an in- .f wardly and downwardly inclined ange 9 having a vertical flange 10 at its inner edge which terminates in a substantially radial, annular, supporting flange 11 defining a large central opening 12. The upper part of ring 6 preferably flares outwardly and upwardly,.and as here illustrated terminates in a substantially vertical rim 6 having a rolled edge.

A cover member 15 is arranged concentrien cally with relation to the ring 6, said cover comprising a substantially flat top having a 'depending marginal flange 16 terminatlng in an outwardly and downwardly inclined flange 17 which is provided at its edge with 65 a vertical rim 18. This rim 18 isslitted've'rtically and the metal lintervened between the slits is bent angularly to provide the atomizing vanes 19. The lower ends of these vanes (or the lower edge ofrim 18 if the slits do 70 not extend to the bottom of the latter) rest .upon the flange 12, fitting snugly within the flangel() so that the lcover 15 is supported in concentric relation to the flange 6. The cover is provided with a centralopening for the 7,5 vertical shaft 28 of a motor 26 supported upon the cover (preferably with capability for self-centering, as disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,604,295). This shaft carries the rotating atomizing device (Figs. 1,

2, and 3) preferably comprising a hubv 30 secured to the shaft in any desired manner, and carrying the dispersing or atomizing disc32. This disc is preferably of a diameter.

closely approximating that of the lvaried ring 18, and may, if desired, be horizontal, al# though preferably as shownthe disc inclines downwardly from its center toward its periphery. ,The disc may be of sheetmaterial, suitably secured to the huh 32, or may be in- 9 tegral with the hub, asldesired, and its outer edge as here shown is disposed in a planeintermediate the upper and lower ends of the vanes 19. An elongate tapering water elevating member 34, preferably integral with the hub 32, projects downwardly below the discand depends nearly to the bottom of receptacle l. If desired, this member 34 may be provided with an external helical groove, as illustrated in my Patent No. 1,537,650.

The motor 26 is preferably enclosed vand protected from moisture by a hollow s hell 35 whose lower edge'rests' upon the inclined flange 17of the cover and fits snugly against the vertical flange' 16.

To facilitate lifting the apparatus, I pre.

fer to provide handles 40 and 40a attached to the top wall of the receptacle l at opposite vsides of the latter, and for convenience in v determining the quantity of fluid within the.

receptacle I may provide a float 4l having a' stem 42 which is guided to slide vertically in aligned openings in the handle 40. Vhile in my prior patented devices I have made ample provision for the discharge of the moisture laden air,and in certain cases for air is freely admitted to the interior of the 'the vanes.

receptacle at a point outwardly beyond the vanes 19, and this Aair flows downwardly and then inwardly (being guided to some extent at least by flanges 8,10 and 11) over the surfaceyof the fluid in the receptacle toward the axis o-f the atomizing disc. The tendency of the disc 32, when rapidly rotated, is to entrain air and expel it radially outwardly through the vanes 19, and this outwardly moving air thus travels in a direction opposite tothe air which is admitted through the openings 43. The result of this action is apparently to set up violent swirls or eddies in contact with the lower surface of the atomizing disc, while the free entrance of air at the points 43 provides a large'volume to be expelled at the edge ofthe disc 32, which assists in tearing off the thin film of water at the .edge of the disc and bringing it intov violent contact with the -vanes 19. The air is .thus caused in an efficient way to take up eddying curmoisture by the contact lof the rents with the thin'film on thelower surface of the disc, aswell as to-take up and rapidly carry away the fine particles dispersed by To increase the strength of this outwardly without interfering with flowing air current, I preferably provide the under side of the disc with ribs or plates 44 which may be radially or otherwise disposed l and which act after the manner of fan blades to produce a strong outward draft in contact with the lower surface of the disc.

By reason of the powerful outward flow' vertically narrow cylindrical sections 47,V

thus forming a series of abrupt ribs upon the surface of the casing. As thus arranged, the moisture laden air, escaping between the vanes 19, rises in the annular guide passage between the curved shell 35 and the outer casing, and flowing toward the outlet opening 48 of the latter encounters successive narrowing zones followed by abruptly wider zones; this produces eddiesand swirls in the air current tending to produce a' thorough mixture of the moisture particles 'and air, andv to break up large particles or to cause the deposit of the heavier portions upon the inner surface of the outer casing, down which the collected moisture runs into the receptacle 1. The outlet48, here shown as central, may be at, any desired point (more than one outlet being provided lif desired), it being known, as disclosed for example in niy Patent No. 1,439,319, to provide outlets for the moisture laden air adapted to deliver it in any desired direction. lVhile I have shown but a few sections 4G as comprised in the outer casing, I contemplate thata greater or lesser number of such sections may be employed and that the formation of eddies be accomplished by other and equivalent means if desired.

vAs herein illustrated, the'invention ,is

shown as embodied in a humidifier of portpleasing external shape andappearance. If

desired, the outer surface may be ornamented in any manner appropriate to the material employed, and since the air which is admitted enters through the top wall of the receptacle, it is permissible to set the apparatus upon a flat surface, such as a table top or the like, the proper flow of air, as might be'the case if the air were admitted through an opening in the bottom of the device. Although as here illustrated, the

and separation of large water particles may y device is of portabley character, I contemplate.

that lthe principle herein disclosed may ind ready embodiment in a humidifier of indus- I claim:

trial type, such as employed in mills and like establishments. In the latter event, the receptacle may be supplied with water froml a service main or the like under control of an automaticlvalve if desired, it being noted,

- however, thatwhatever the specific embodiment the essential characteristics of the invention as here disclosed will be adhered to. Moreover it is to be understood that various changes and modifications in arrangements of parts, asl well as substitutions of equivalents for the elements here disclosed, Imay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention..

1. A portable humidifying apparatus comprising a water receptacle, a motor supported bythe receptacle, an atomizing disc driven by the motor, a series of vanes concentric with the disc, and handles secured to the receptacle, the receptacle having air inlet openinge between the motorl and the handles and so arrangedas to be lconcealed partially at 1 least bythe handles and `to permit inspection of the water levelfrom a point above the handles,` v

2. A humidifying apparatus comprising a fluid receptacle, a motor, an atomizing disc driven by the motor, a series of vanes concentric with the disc, a protecting shell for the motor, and an outer casing spaced from the shell, said shell and casingdefining a guide passage for moisture laden air, the outer casing having-spaced inlet and discharge openings.

' 3. A humidifying apparatus comprising a receptacle for liuid, a rotating atomizing disc, vanes for impingement by particles centrifugally expelled bythe disc, and means for directing a current of air across the surface ofthe contained fluid and against the surface of the disc in such manner as to create a swirl in such air by frictional engagement with the disc. f

4. A humidifying apparatus comprising a receptacle for fluid, atomizing means and guide means for moisture laden air leaving` the receptacle, said guide means comprising a converging casing consisting of a plurality of similarly disposed, longitudinally spaced and substantially axially aligned frusto-conical portions having diameters decreasing successively in the direction of How, the smaller end of one of` these frusto-conical portions substantially 4registering with the adjacent larger end ofthe next adjacent frusto-conii calportion, and cylindrical portions inter.

posed between these frusto-conical portions and connecting-the smaller end'of one of the frustoconical portions with the adjacent.

larger end of the next adjacent frusto-conical portion. e

.a receptacle for 5.' A humidifying apparatus comprising a fluid receptacle, a motor' supported by the receptacle, an atomizing disc driven by the motor, a series of vanes concentric with the disc, a protecting 'shell for the motor, an outer casing supported by the receptacle, said outer casing tapering upwardly and cooperating with the shell to define a guide passage for moisture laden air, the outer casing comprising a series of alternating frustoconical and cylindrical portions.

6. A humidifying apparatus comprising 'a shallow receptacle for fluid, said receptacle having an annular upper wall defining a central opening, atomizing means comprising a rotating disc and a series of vanes concentric therewith for atomizing water and delivering it from the receptacle in finely divided condition, the upp'er wall of the receptacle having an opening for admitting air to the space below the disc, and an outer guide casing into which the atomizing Huid is delivered, said casin comprising means for creating eddies inv t e moisture laden air.

. 7 Humidifying apparatus comprising a receptacle for fluid, an atomizing disc arranged to turn about a substantially vertical y Valles.

9. A portable humidifying apparatus omprising a receptacle for water, said receptacle having an annular upper wall defining a centralopening, supporting means disposed within the opening, a motor -carried by said supporting means, an atomizing disc driven by the motor, said disc having water elevating means depending into the rece tacle, and a series of vanes concentric wit the disc, the receptacle having openings for admitting air to the space beneath the disc. l

10. A. portable humidifying apparatus comprising av fluid receptacle, a moto'r sup- .ported by the receptacle, an atomizing disc driven by the motor, a series of vanes concentric with the disc, handles secured to the receptacle, anda float member within the receptacle, said floathaving a stem projecting upwardly from the receptacle, one of the handles having guides for thestemof the float. 11. AA humidi'ing apparatus comprising uid, said receptacle having bottom and side walls and an annular upper j wall extending inwardly from the side wall and transversely above the contained fluid, means disposed within the receptacle above -the contained Huid and substantially within the annular upper wall for atomizing water,

y the upper wall of the receptacle having an openmg adjacent the side wall for the admission-of air, and means extending upwardly from said wall for guiding moisture laden air delivered by the atomizing means. v

Signed by me at Pawtucket, Rhode Island,

this 3rd day of September, 1929.

' BERTRAM M. MILLS.

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