US1971631A - Bed mb conditioner - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 28, 1934.

F. A. WHITELEY BED AIR CONDITIONER Filed July 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inven'l'on a n r h o t Au) t. BMW

h ///V/////// l/l/l/ l/ll/l/f Q Patented Aug. 28, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to bed air-conditioners and has for its object to provide an air-conditioner to be applied to a bed and to give to an enclosed portion of theroom immediately above the bed a supply of air conditioned by being properly cooled and washed and freed from dust and germs.

Many means have been proposed for conditioning the air in whole rooms and in" buildings, but at night or at any other time when a person is confined to a bed the purpose of conditioning the air of whole rooms may be served by conditioning the air in which the person lies above the bed, and it is the purpose of my invention to condition such air, and that only, and to provide simple, efficient and economical means adaptable to be applied to any bed whereby air-conditioning may be cheaply effected for the area above the bed, while at the same time the sleeper is fully safe-guarded against any possibility of poisoning or lack of suflicient air for breathing. To this end I provide a conditioner casing, which em.- bodies passageway channels extending vertically up and down within said casing, at a point immediately alongside of the bed, with means. for forcing air to travel through said passageways and to discharge therefrom, together with means for forcing a spray of water into each of said passageways, and providing a chamber of insulating material which encloses a suflicient area immediately above the bed with a suitable opening in the top above the face of the sleeper. The conditioned air is caused to flow into this chamber at the foot of the bed and to be delivered across the bed immediately above themattress and the sleeper thereon, whence the warmer air within the chamber will be pressed out through the opening in the top and the cooler, conditioned air spread over the lower portion of the chamber above the mattress where the sleeper lies to give him cooled, washed and (in humid weather) dried air. The flow of air is such that a constant supply of fresh conditioned air reaches the sleeper, said air being freed from dust and various types of germs so that, in addition to the comfort of being able to sleep in a pure, cool atmosphere, sufferers from many typesof disease, such-as hay fever, will be very greatly relieved.

The use of my invention gives to asleeper '50 during the night-time all the advantages of cooled,

,' conditioned air at a small fraction of the cost of conditioning the air in entire rooms. In very warm'regions this will add enormously to health and well-being, since it will be possible to sleep at night in anatmosphere reduced to a desired temperature-say E, which will relieve the pressure of living in a continuously hot climate, so serious and detrimental to general health and well-being.

The full objects and advantages of my inven-' 00 tion will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof, and the novel features of my inventive idea are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating my inve tion in one form, l i

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal-elevation view taken on line 1 --1 of Fig. 3 of the conditioner chamber as the same will be applied toa bed of common construction. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation simi- '10 lar to Fig. 1 taken on line 2-.-2 of Fig. 3. Fig.3

is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, a casing formed of side walls 10 and 11, end walls'g12 andl3, top wall 14 and bottom wall 15 forms a chamber 16 which in practice will extend along the side of a bed a distance equal to the length of the mattress, will be some six inches deep and of a height suflicient to extend to a point about three feet above the surface of the mattress.

As shown in Fig. 1, the floor 15 slopes slightly to a point where it joins with a short vertical wall 17 and continues with a bottom wall portion 18 which forms a sump or well 19 where the water hereinafter referred to collects after being carried down on the sloping bottom 15. A multiplicity' of partition walls 20 extend upwardly from the bottom wall 15 to points approaching but separated from the top wall 14, as indicated at 21. Thesepartitions 20 are secured to the bottom wall 15 but are provided with small drainage openings 22 for permitting the water which falls to the floor 15 to pass through to the sump 19. Similarly a multiplicity of partition walls 23 are connected to the top" wall 14 and spaced at their lower ends from the bottom wall 15 as indicated at 24. The partitions 23 alternate withthe partitions 20 whereby a series of ver- 1 tical passageways connected respectively at top and bottom in succession carry air to the drying passageway 25 wherein are a multiplicity of bailles 26 positioned in staggered relation so as to catch and retain any free water which may 10:; pass into the passageway 25. A vertical partition 27 closes the. rear end of passageway'25 and extends downwardly to a point indicated at 28 below the surface of the water in the sump 19. i A blower and attached motor 29, of usual 110 construction, is mounted upon the top 14, as clearly shown, for forcing air from the room into the first of the vertical passageways from which the air passes through the elongated upand-down washing passageway and through opening in side wall 11 into the chamber hereinafter described above the mattress of the bed. To condition the air as it passes through the various vertical passageways, I provide a longitudinal spray pipe 31 to which water under pressure is delivered by a rotary pump 32 of any well-known construction operated by motor 33. The water to the pump 32 is drawn through a pipe 34 which dips into the water within a strainer 64 in the sump 19. When the pump 32 is in operation, therefore, a spray of water is continually delivered to all, of the vertical passageways except the drying passageway 25, and the air in being driven through these passageways and through the delivery opening 30 is cooled by evaporation of this water and is freed of all germs, dust and impurities, being delivered into the chamber above the bed properly conditioned. A manually-operated switch 35 at the head of the bed controls the operation of the motor of blower 29 and the motor 33 of the pump, the two motors being normally on a common circuit so that when one is operated the other is. It may be desirable, however, to pass the circuit for the pump through a switch box 36 controlled by a thermostat 37 within the sleeping chamber above the bed. and close to the head of the sleeper, so that when the temperature falls to a certain desired point the pump willbe thrown out of operation and excessive cooling will be avoided.

It will be noted that with the circulation of water herein provided the water itself will become progressively cooler until it reaches the temperature of the air being delivered, which insures efficient operation. Water is supplied to take the place of that evaporated and passed out of the system by means of a tank 38, which may be withdrawn for filling through an opening closed by a closure 39 in the end wall 12. The tank 38 is provided with a single opening 40 and-willbe positioned as indicated in Fig. 1

upon a supporting partition 41 with a nozzle openingdipping down to the water line in the well '19, so that as water is taken away by evapo-,

ration fresh water will be added from time to time only sumcient to maintain the water level in the sump 19 so as to cover and seal the opening 40 inthe tank 38.

Removably secured to the end walls 13, 14 of the air-conditioner casing are end extension walls 42 and 43 which are preferably formed of light insulating material such as the plaster boards of well-known construction, and which will be coatedto render them waterproof. These end extensions are secured to frames, preferably of angle iron, which are bolted to side anglepieces on the casing, as shown. The top member 44, also formed with a surrounding frame; is bolted to the angle iron frame member on the casing and tothe side members 42 and 43 as shown.

A front member 45 similarly formed with an angle iron frame is bolted to the side members 42 and 43 and to the top member 44. as shown. The front member 45 is provided with a door 46 adapted to swing up and lie upon the top member 44, giving access tothe interior of thechamber formed'by the casing and by the end members 42 and 43, top member 44 and front member 45. The head position of the weareror the pillow is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 at 47. I Immediately above this position the top member 44 is provided with an opening 48 which extends substantially across the top of the chamber, as shown in Fig. 3. Hingedly secured to the top member 44 is a baffle 49 which when the top member is in position hangs vertically adjacent the opening 30 into the chamber above the bed.

Cross members 50 may extend outwardly from the side casing to give support to the casing to oifset the downward thrust of the overhanging portions forming the bed-enclosing chamber. The mattress 51 is indicated as resting upon a spring 52 of well-known construction mounted upon a bed 53 also of ordinary construction. At the bottoms of theside pieces 42' and 43 are flaps 54 and 55 of some close woven or rubberized material. A similar flap 56 is attached to the wall 11 of the casing and a flap 57 to the bottom of the front member 45.

In assembling the devicethe casing is pushed against one side of the bed and the flap 56 thrown over the spring. The side members 42 and 43 are inserted past the ends of the mattress and inside of the bed ends, as shown in Fig. 2, and flaps 54 and 55 are thrown on to the spring or tucked under the mattress. Similarly the front fiap 57 is tucked under the mattress. The door 46 is thrown up over the top, and through the opening provided the bed is made in the usual way. When the sleeper or sleepers wish to retire they enter the chamber above the bed through the door 46, which is locked in closing position by means of catches 58 and 59 secured to the end members 42 and 43 and taking into keepers 60 and 61 on the inside of the door 46.

Then, by means of the switch 35 the air-conditioning instrumentalities are set in operation. In this manner the temperature is gradually lowend and possible injury from going immediately from a warm temperature to a 0001 one is avoided. Where the thermostat 37 is employed the temperature within the chamber will be maintained at substantially a fixed degree by reason of the fact that when it reaches a desired minimum the operation of the thermostat will throw the water spray out of operation, which will permit air to fiowthrough without cooling until the temperature within the chamber rises. so that the thermostat acts to start the pump again and continue the lowering of the temperature.

I claim:

1. An air-conditioner for beds comprising a conditioning casing adapted to be positioned alongside of the bed and form a wall of a chamber above the bed, end wall, top and outside .side members supported from the said conditioner casing above and about the mattress of the bed, means carried by said walls for insertion beneath the mattress around. the sides thereof so that the mattress becomes the bottom wall of the chamber, an opening to the room from said chamber, and means to move air through the conditioner casing into the lower end of said chamber and cause it to discharge through said opening. v

c 2. An air-conditioner for beds comprising a conditioning casing adapted to be positioned alongside of the bed and form a wall of a chamber I of the chamber to open and close the same and 150 through the conditioner casing into the lower end of said casing and cause it to discharge through said opening.

3, An air-conditioner for beds comprising a conditioning casing adapted to be positioned alongside of the bed and form a wall of a chamber above the bed, end wall, top and outside side members supported from the said conditioner casing aboveand about the mattress of the-bed to form with said mattress as the bottom wall thereof said chamber, a'door formed in the outside side wall of said chamber and hingedly connected to the top so as to be adapted to be swung up on the top to give access to the bed, an opening to the room from said chamber, and means to move air through the conditioner casing into the lower end of said chamber and to cause it to discharge through said opening.

4. An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall, said chamber having an opening at the pillow end, a second casing, means to move air from the room through the second casing and into the chamber adjacent the foot thereof and thence through said opening, and means including a'pipe and a pump to spray water into said second casing, whereby the air will be washed and cooled as it is moved therethrough.

5. An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom well, said chamber having an opening at the pillow end, a second casing, means to move air from the room through the second casing and into the chamber adjacent the foot thereof and thence through said opening, a spraying system including a pump and a well in the second casing for forming a spray of waterin said second casing, whereby theair is washed and cooled as it is moved therethrough, and means in the second casing for supplying water to said well to maintain it at a fixed level.

6. An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall. said chamber having an opening at the pillow end, a second casing, means to move air from the room through the second casing and into the chamber adjacent the foot thereof and thence through said opening, a spraying system including a pump and a well in the second casing for forming a spray of water in said second casing, whereby the air is washed and cooled as it is moved therethrough, and means for returning the excess water from said spray to said well. 7

7. An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall, said chamber having an opening at the pillow end, a second casing, means to move air from the room through thesecond casing and into the chamber adjacent the foot thereof and thence through said opening, a spraying system including a pump and a well in the second casing for forming a spray of water in said second casing, whereby the air is washed and cooled as it is moved therethrough,

means in said second casing for supplying water to said well to maintain it at a fixed level, and means for returning excess water from said spray to said well. a

8. An air-conditioner for beds comprising an elongated high casing, an insulated casing suphaving the mattress' as its bottom wall and the first named casing as a side wall, with an open ing from said chamber in the top abovethe head end thereof, an elongated passageway formed in said first named casing by a multiplicity of vertical partitions alternately spaced from the top and bottom of the casing, means in said first named casing including a pipe and a pump to spray water into a plurality of said vertical passagewaya'and means to move air through said elongated passageway and discharge it into the lower end of the chamber over the bed, whereby said air will be washed and cooled and will be causedto move through said chamber and discharge from the head-end opening therefrom.- p 9. .An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall, said chamber having an opening at the pillow end, a second casing, means to move air from the room through the second casing and into the chamber adjacent the foot thereof and thence through said open ,ing, a spraying system including a pump and a well in said second casing for forming a spray of water therein through which saidair is caused to move, a tank and means 'for removably supporting it in said second casing with its mouth dipping down to the water in the well, whereby the water in said well is maintained at a fixed level. I

10. An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamf ported thereby above the bed forming a chamber by the blower, and switch means within the chair: I

her and adjacent the sleeper for controlling the blower.

11. An air conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall, said chamber havmg an opening adjacent the head end of said mattress, a second casing, means in said second casing including an electrically-driven pump for forming a spray of water in said second casing, a blower-to move air from the room through said second casing and said spray and into said chamber and thence through said opening, and a thermostat within said chamber and adjacent the head of the sleeper for controlling operation of the pump.

12. An air conditioner for beds comprising a insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having a mattress as its bottom wall, said chamber having a wide opening at the pillow end, a partition near the lower end of said chamber extending across from the top of the chamber to near the top of the mattress, means to move air into said chamber between its foot-wall and the partition whereby it iscaused to travel under the same immediately above the mattress and throughout the width thereof and to discharge through said opening, and means to condition the air before it enters the chamber.

13. An air conditioner for beds comprising a conditioning member with means therein for conditioning air, including means for moving the moved from the conditioner member to cause it to form a continuous layer over the mattress of the bed distinct from the air of the room, whereby the air of said layer will be caused to be continuously moving and changing.

14. An air conditioner for beds comprising an elongated high casing, an insulated casing removably supported therebyabove the bed and forming over the bed a chamber havingthe-mattress as its bottom wall and the first named casing as a side wall, means in the first casing for moving and conditioning air, and an opening between the two casings so the conditioned air will be moved into said chamber.

15. An air-conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing removably supported above the bed and forming a chamber over the whole extent of the mattress with the mattress as a bottom wall thereoi,said casing being formed withawideopening at the pillow and extending substantially across the width of the mattress, means to move air into said chamber at the foot of said mattress and to direct it to cause it to travel along said mattress in a layer and discharge through said opening, and means to condition the air before it enters the chamber.

16. An air-conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing removably supported above the bed and forming a chamber over the whole extent oithe mattress with the mattress as a bottom wall thereof, said casing being formed with a wide opening at the pillow and extending substantially across the width of the mattress, means to move air into said chamber at the foot thereof, means to distribute the air across the foot and near the mattress to cause it to travel in a full width layer along the length of the mattress and cham-- her to discharge through said opening, and means to condition the air before it enters the chamber.

17. An air-conditioner for beds comprising a conditioner cabinet adapted -to be positioned along one side of a bed and having its wall adjacent the bed of substantially the length of the mattress, an insulated casing supported above the bed by said cabinet and forming with thecabinet as a side wall and the mattress as a bottom wall a chamber above and enclosing the mattress, said casing formed with a large opening at the head end of the mattress opening directly into the room from the chamber, means to move air from the room through the cabinet and into the chamber and back to the room through said opening, and means in the cabinet to condition the air before it enters the chamber.

18. An air-conditioner for beds comprising a donditioning member with means therein for conditioning air, a casing iorming a chamber exthe chamber is displaced and caused to discharge through the opening into the room.

19. An air-conditioner for beds comprising acabinet having a wall extending to a point a considerable distance above the surface of the mattress, an insulated casing supported thereby and forming over the bed, a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall and the side of the cabinet as aside wall, said casing having a large opening leading from the chamber to the room, means in the cabinet for moving and conditioning air, and an opening between the two casings connected so the conditioned air will be moved into said chamber and continuously displace the air therein and cause it to discharge into the room through said first-named opening.

20. An air-conditioner for beds comprising a conditioning member with means therein for conditioning air, means enclosing the bed and forming a chamber having the whole of the mat-- tress as a bottom wall thereof and separating said chamber above the mattress from the rest of the room, there being two openings in'said enclosing means above the level of the mattress, one connected with the conditioning member and the other leading into the air of the room, means to move air through the conditioning member subject to the air-conditioning means therein and to discharge the conditioned air through said connected opening into said chamber, and means for directing the air so moved within the chamber to form a continuous layer of conditioned air over the mattress and cause said layer to be continuously moving and changing as air is continuously discharged through the opening to the room therefrom.

21. An air-conditioner for beds comprising an insulated casing above the bed forming a chamber having the mattress as its bottom wall, said chamber having two openings, 8. second casing connected with said chamber through one of said openings, the other opening leading into the room, means to move air from the room through the second casing and said connected opening and into the chamber and thence through said second opening into the room, and'means for forming a spray 01' water within the second casing through which said air is caused to pass before it enters the chamber above the mattress, whereby the air in the chamber will be washed and cooled.

, FRANK A, WHITELEY.

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