US1992468A - Tank heater - Google Patents

Description

Feb; 26, 1935. 5', BRADLEY 1,992,468

TANK HEATER Filed March 2, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Feb. 26, 1935. F. 5. Bmw 1,992,468

- TANK HEATER Filed March 2, 1954 5 Sheets-She et 2 Inventor f1 llomey Feb. 26, 1935. v I F. s. BRADLEY 1,992,468

TANK HEATER Filed March 2, 1934 5 SheetsSheet' 4 I .76 J3 I r i r l I 1 l v amwm.

Feb. 26, 1935;

F. S. BRADLEY TANK HEATER Fiied Margh 2, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 f/ if I I Inventor fiifiraaay flllorney By QM Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED ST TE This invention relates to the broad class-of heating apparatus and has more particular ref.- erence to a device such as is referred toherein-. after as a tank heater, wherein said device,as

the name implies; is submerged in. water in a tank or receptacle in a manner toheat the water and utilize the heat generated thereby for heating and cooking purposes. y

In reducing the r invention to practice I have evolved and produced a structure possessing notee worthy features of refinement and structural im--- provement carefully selected and coordinated'to' promote efiiciency and to permit the accomplishment-of the desired result in a and satisfactory manner;

In perfecting the principles of the present.

ventive idea my-primary aim is to utilize a heat:

er employing economical fuel such as coaliand M Wood and to embody in Saidheater a multiplicity of open ended-water tubes which when sub-.. merged in the water in the tanksurroundingthe' heater: provide 'the desired circulation for efiective and-positive heating results.

As I visualize the improved structure in" contrast known heatersof a similar type I fi ndseveral structural distinctions which,- it. is believed,

transcend similar adaptations in that theylare more satisfactorily adapted and fitted for the intendedpurposes.

One featureis predicated upon the. adoption and -use of a removable multiple grate unit on.

which thefire is built with an ash pan located therebeneath-together with shakingmeans for.

the'grate located-in an elevated branch forming anintegral-part of the casingstructure andservA ing as a chute for remcving the ash pan, as a means of access to the shaker device as. well I in the firepot fordirectheatingmeans and others located- 1111a, predetermined. portion of the smoke.

flue so as to effectively.- utilize .the exhausting particles of heat and heat waves for efficient heat generation purposes.

A. further feature of the construction, as will be hereinafter. discerned, is found in the adop-j tion and'use of .a-vertically elongated body con-, stitu'ting. the major part of the casing [structurev which body-.definesthe ashpit, firepot and heater and which isso fashioned. as to. accommodate a highlyrdependable .removablefood containing vessel such as a pot or kettle employed for cooking food.

Other'and more specific structural features and improvements will become more readily apparent.

from they following description and drawings;' 1

In the drawings:

tionship.

Figure 2 is a top plan-view of Figure 1. I Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional. view with parts in elevation, taken approximately on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken slide' located in the smoke flue, the section being.

on the plane of the line 66 of Figure 3;.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail sections on the line I 7-7 and18.8 respectively of FigureB.

Figure 9 is a perspectivexview of theash pan Figure 10 is .a. perspective view'of one ofthe pipes forming ,a water circulating tube.

Figure 1 is .a side elevational view of the complete assembly disclosing the shape of the com-v ponent parts and. their relative structural rela-i PJAT'E N'T" OFFICE- Figure .11 is a horizontal sectional iew on the plane of .the line 11-.-11. of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a horizontal. section on the. line 12-12I 0f Figure 1. V t

Figure '13 is a sectional view of theremovable hopper.. i

Figure 14 isa detail elevational view of the removable feedpot or kettle. a

vReferringwfirst to Figure 1 which shows the casing structure and its parts in elevation it will be observed that it is in the formofa sheet metal casing which includes a vertically elongated body 15 which may be described as the heater proper. As shown in Figure 12 this is substantially rec-a tangular in cross sectional shape. Then .as shown in Figure 1. it will be observed that the numeral 16 designates a laterally and upwardly directed hollow branch/which is an integral part of the casing structure. and which is disposediat an approximate acute angle to the heater'15 ris ing to a point above the normal waterlevel line, that is the water level of the tank orother vessel (not shown) in which the device is submerged ina well known manner. heater 15v and the branchil'fi it is. substantially L-shaped intermediate or subordinate'branch 17 which constitutes a part of the smoke flue' and which'is joined as at 18 tolthe heater at ;a"point Between-the body or Referring now to Figure 3 I call attention to the numerals 20 which designate a removable cover having steam discharge passages 21 and a closing valve or disk 22 for regulation purposes. On the interior below this cover is a supporting ledge 23 fashioned to support the tapered portion 24 of a hopper. It will be observed that the hopper is formed with a depending neck 25 to the firebox or chamber. p

This firebox is differentiated bythe numeral 26 and in reality is merely the area above the grate structure. This grate structure comprises a plurality of rockably mounted fuel supporting grates 27 carried by hanger straps 28 removably= supported on appropriate supporting elements 29 on the interior of the heater. The grate structure orassembly is supported in elevated position above the bottom of the heater so astodefine an ashpit. In this ashpit is located a removable ash pan or tray 30. It will also be observed in Figure 3 that. the grates are made for connection with a shaker link 31 actuated by a detachable. elongated remote control handle 32. In connection with this handle I would point out that there is a partition on the interior of the branch 16 which divides it into an adapter chute 33 and a smoke flue 34. The smoke'fiue has communication withthe heater by way of the aforementioned branch 1'7 at its intake 18. In fact these two features 17 and. 34' define a sort of a V-shaped smoke flue.

I use the term chute to define the passage 33 since this permits the ash pan to be grasped by a suitable instrument,'such as tongs (not shown) and drawn upwardly through the chute for dumping purposes. This permits removal of ashes without lifting the heater from the water tank. The upper end of the chute is covered by alid ,35 having a suitable adjustable valve or damper 36. This lid is normally closed and the damper can be adjusted as conditions require so as to permit the same chute 33 to serve as a down draft for feeding air to the fire. This passage 33 also functions'as a convenient means for inspecting the condition of the'fire whenever necessary or desired. Its principal purposev however is to permit the handle 32 to be inserted and connected 7 with the link 31 for the purpose of shaking the grates to keep the fire in good condition and yet permitting this to be accomplished by simply opening the 116.35 'withou't making it'necessary to lift .or remove the device from the body of water in which itissubmerged. It will beno'.

ticed as an incidental feature'that the part constituting the juncture between the'passages 1'7 and 34 is formed with a soot opening or hole which is closed by a slide plate 3.7. This is mounted .in suitable guides 38 and it is' con structed to permit a suitable tool to be inserted down through the chute 33 and engaged with'the slide for opening it to allow the soot tobe dropped" down into the ash pan. Thisis for cleaning the smoke flue conveniently.

I next call attention to the numeral 39 which designates a pipe or sack having a damper 40. This is attached to the upper end of the smoke flue. On. the interior is a gutter 41 which serves as a condensationltrap. The smoke in escaping. carries a certain; amount of moisture and this moisture collected in the trap and is discharged through a drain pipe 42. This decidedly increases the efliciency of operation of the device as a whole.

I I next call attention to the tube arrangement.

The main tubes are designated by the numerals 43 and are located in the firebox. Any suitable number of tubes may be employed. They are preferably arranged in superposed relation and open through opposed walls of the heater 15. Then there are supplementalwater tubes 44 located in appropriate order and spaced relation in the V-shaped smoke discharge passage or flue discharge the coal or other fuel conveniently into made up of the features 17 and 34. This permits the utilization of the escaping heat particles and smoke to more effectively heat the water through the instrumentality of the supplemental water tubes 44.- In other words the main tubes 43 are heated by direct heat from the firebox and the water tubes 44 by the escaping heat waves carried by the smoke and combustion. The uppermost tubes of bothsets are located in an approximate novel plane which is below' the normal water level line in the tank (not shown). Inci dentally the water in the'tank is circulated back and forth throughthe water tubes in an obvious way when it becomes heated. The water is of course heated by the fire in the firebox as is evi-" dent. I

As before stated the device as a heater for buildings or other enclosures or it may be utilized as a cooker. 1 When utilized asa cooker I have found it practical and expedient to employ a feed pot or kettle 45 of the type shown in Figure 14. This pot is provided with a supporting flange 46 which rests on the top of the heater. It is covered by the lid or cover plate 20 and the steam is allowed to escape through structure is removable, and the ash pan is re'- movable.

As an added feature I provide on one side of the heater a side fuel feeder which is nothing more than a container 4'7 of the type shown in Figure 5 this being provided with a valved cover 48. Thus when the device is used for cooking purposes this side feeder is filled with coal and the' coal is automatically gravitated into the firebox. In a sense the side feeder is an automatic stoker.

I desire to emphasize the portability ofthe device as a unit as well as the fact that it serves not only as a heater for heat radiation and room warming purposes but as a convenient cooker for feeds. Secondly I call attention to the removability of the pot or kettle 45 as well as the removability to the top of the heater 15 of the hopper and grate structure. When the grate structure is removed the handle 32, which is of an extension and detachable type, is of course disconnected.

In conclusion I desire to point out that the grate structure can of course be removed through the top of the heater by removing the hopper and cover. This necessitates tilting or angling of the grate structure so that it can be passed between the fiues 43. It is also possible to disconnect the grate structure from its supporting may be employed means at the bottom of the firebox and to drop it down into the ashpit and remove it by way of the chute 33. Although it is possible to leave the hopper 24 in place even when the feed pot is put in position it is generally desirable to remove the hopper first and then put the pot in position so that it will receive a more distributed supply of heat from the firebox. The water tank is of course proportioned with respect to the heater as to allow the top of the heater and the corresponding portions of the chute to stand above the normal water level in the tank.

Minor changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a casing structure including a vertically elongated portion defining the heater proper, a plurality of water tubes located in the lower portion of said heater, a grate assembly supported below said water tubes and. above the bottom of the heater, said grate assembly including a plurality of complemental oscillatory grates connected together by a single operating link, an ash pan supported in the pit portion of the heater below said grate assembly, said casing structure including a lateral upstanding branch communicating at said lower end with said pit, said branch including a chute for removing the ash pan, said branch extending to a point above the normal Water line and serving notonly vas a down draft but as a means permitting the use of an extension handle therein for actuating said link, said branch being partitioned so that the 2. In a device of the class described comprising a casing structure including a vertically elongated portion defining the heater proper, a plurality of water tubes located in the lower portion of the heater, a grate assembly supported below said water tubes and above the bottom of the heater, an ash pan supported in the pit portion of the heater below the grate, a lateral upstanding branch, said casing structure including said lateral upstanding branch communicating at its lower end with the pit, said branch being partitioned whereby the upper portion thereof defines a smoke discharge flue, and means extending upwardly'from the grate in the lower portion of the branch for manually shaking the grate.

, FLOYD S. BRADLEY.

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