US2279974A - Space heater - Google Patents

Description

' VApril 14, 1942. l

R. B. EVANS Erm.

SPACE .HEATER Filed Aug.` 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR, Robert B EI/crfzs ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. l14, 1942 snor: mma

atten annui, romena Eugene r.

Farrell, 1i Detroit, Mich., assigner: to. EvansV l Products Company,

tion of Delaware Detroit,` Mich., a corporai "spiiicaiiii aurait s, 1939, "serial No. 288,542

` nomme. ,.(oi. 12e-110)- This inventionlrelatesto space heaters ortho like, and particularly to the door-Supported cab" inet type of unit space heater'having a `combustion unitt`o heat air to a high temperaturegand Y an air circulating fan'thereinfor circulating this high. temperature` .air through `rooms,` `small heating unit and will 'discharge a stream of the high temperature air` acrossand close tothe room door. The several `parts are so arranged homes, `orthe like-' Preferably, the fan iseinV i thelower1part 'oi the cabinetadjacent an opening located closely above the iloor soV thatthe 1 ian `will `draw air down past the combustionthat upon `nongopei'atio'nT of the ian the space.

`heaer may operate bythe natural upward cone vection circulation of air therethrough.

This invention also relates to space heatersof thegeneralcharacter shown in our prior appli` cations. N. .232,502, illed September 30,` 1938, and* the application of Schueder and Farrell, S. N. 259,094, iiled March 1, 1939, and it em` bodies 1features disclosed and claimed in these prior applications. The general arrangement and structure of the cabinet, itsdoors, the heating drum andit's' oil burner, the fuel controls, the oil tank' with its mounting andlcoolinggthe transverse partitionand the like are; or may be, generally similar-.to ourprior application noted above. `The feature of the fan-forcedstream of high temperature air across `and close to, but safely above, the room door is .commonto our prior `application and the application of Schueder andFarrellhboth `noted.`above. The additional feature i. whereby'` this air discharge is caused by a blower unitalongside. of andthe discharge of which is* directly (out. lthrough the cabinet opening. iS alsoeinbodied in" the last mentioned application.

In genera-1,. the objects of the present invention are to `providean improved and simplined unit spaceheater having a fan-forced and low e bynatural upward convectionand circulate into the room from the cabinets upper opening.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages will be apparent from the following descriptionand `the drawings," in which:

l1iig. `1 is a front elevation view of`a space heater embodying our invention, the outer casin g being broken `away to show internal parts:

line zl-zlof Fig. 1; 1

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on vtheline 3--3 of Fig. 2; l w

` Fig. 4 isa fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1

Flg.'2 isa vertical sectional view taken on theV and showing the lower end of another embodi` ment oi our invention; and i Fig. 5 is--a view taken transversely of Fig. 4 just above the level of the fan and motor.

`Inthe drawings, Figs. 1,' 2 and 3 show one`embodimen't of the invention.

i The outer body or casing'i is formed o! sheet metal formed andsecured in any conventional or desired manner. This casing i is of substan- -tially rectangulartransverse cross-section and Vis in. thef forni of the so-called low-boy" `t -of cabinet. The cabinet is supported at its cor-4 'ners and is spaced abovethe -iloor by feet 3 which are sheet metal. expansions. `The bottom plate 2. issuitably secured to close the bottom of the cabinet completely except `for the combustion air intake openings 22 and the spaceunder the e oil tank 5 or on `the other side of the partition l,

which space is left open. l i

The tank efor fiquid fuel, such as oil, is re- .movably mounted by suitable clips on and spaced from` the .outermost of the two insulatlngly spaced, sheet metal, partition plates 6. vThus this tank 5 is insulated from the heat and is also cooledby'the air whichV rises freely through the open bottom up and around the tank. ThisA 40 tank `S'has a suitable swing-out filling spout and level, but safe; discharge of high temperature air across andi'close to the door. More partally directed, :propeller 'type ian or are' positioned at the same level, closelyalongside of, and discharging directly out through the-low opening ,or` openings" which are located at the bottom (preferablyiin the iront) ofthe cabinet closely above the roomtloor sothat theian means 3 .will draw air down `past the combustionfheating a level indicator. Access tothe filling spout is had thifQush a conventional door 5d, The parti#y tion plates 6 aresuitablyscured to the base plate 2 and brace the shell i. The combustionheating unit is designated as a whole; by -the numeral 4. It includes a sheet metal heating drum having a top 8 and upright side walls 1 supported and closed by bottom plate 2. Supporting partition -II is suitablysceured to the walls 1 jandcarries burners-I4 in corresponding openings therein. For an oil burner v .unit, these bui-ners.` Il arethe conventional pot type. Thus unit and thendischargeit"outlthrough the low 4level openings. andso 'that'. when the ian lis not .the spacein the drum above I3 forms anexpension chamber and the space below it4 forms operating the airfmay the cabineto a combustionchainber. 4A sheet metal radiation heat shield or drum-enclosing wall 32 is uniformly spaced about the drum 1-8 and supported by suitable brackets 30 and the base plate 2 so that this wall denes two upwardly extending, air heating pasageways, both of which communicate freely with the large area upper opening 26'. It will be apparent that the innermost passageway (inside wall 32) is of smaller cross-sectional area and also at a much higher temperature.

The oil is supplied from the tank 5 through pipe I5 to a conventional regulating valve and level-maintaining float unit I8 which is carried by a suitable supporting strap |80.. The oil supply for each burner is regulated by a rotary valve, and these valves are manually controlled by shafts I9 and 2I which extend up through suitable controls which are not shown herein but may be as disclosed in our prior application or in other desired arrangements. Pipes I6 and I1 carry the oil to each of the burners I4.

'Base plate 2 has combustion air vinlet openings 22 which may have regulating means, such as the pivoted adjustable plates or dampers 23, The products of combustion expand and give up heat in the expansion chamber 'and rise through the .flue or stack connection 24 which extends through corresponding openings in the wall 1 and the shield 32. A stove pipe fitting 25 which extends in through a corresponding opening in the shell I'is removably connected to ilue` connection 24 and communicates with thel usual chimney or stack.

Thecabinet top 21, which `may be integral as shown, has openings 26 to form a large 'area grille. 'I'hese openings may be formed in the sheet metal top by cut and stamped or bent down portionsas shown. ,l

The lower end wall of the cabinet shell adjacent and -underneath the oil tank 5 has an air inlet grille 29 which may be formed integral with the. shell `wall and with upright vanes to strengthen the cabinet. This opening 29provideslan additional inlet for cooling air to rise uparound .through valve oat unit I8 and the oil tank 5-..to cool themA and then to rise out thrcughfthetop openings 26 or else, when the fans arerunning, to be all or partly drawn down on the other side of the supporting and insulating partition 6. It will be apparent that this separate, upwardly extending passage orv chamopening or notch 39 of the shell I and having a radial ilange 48 overlapping the edges of this opening 38. The bottom of cup member 35 is spaced from the shield wall 32 by sound and heat insulating devices 36. Bolts 31 pass through wa-ll 32, sleeves 36, member`35, and lugs 38 extending from the electric motor to hold these parts in place.

The lower iront side of shield wall 32 has a circular opening 43 having a cylindrical flange 42 forming a short duct or air directing cowling to contain the propeller type fan 33 which is of slightly smaller diameter. Thus this short air directing duct 42 will improve the directional eiect of the fan and reduce the diilusion or radial discharge from its blades.

The ian 33 is secured on shaft 44 which is journaled in a bearing 45 rigidly held in the interior of the opening 43 by a spider 46 comprising straps 41 which embrace the sides oi the bearing 45 and-which are bent out at their ends to form feet 48 riveted or otherwise con'- nected to ange 42. The two straps 41 may also be suitably connected together.

A connecting shaft 49 extends alongside of and between the two burners I4 and connects the' motor shaft 5I and the fan shaft 44 by suitably yieldable and resilient muil couplings 52 formed to aiford a heat and noise insulation and to also act to a'limited extent as misalignment couplings. It is desirable to prevent the transmission of heat to the motor along its shaft, and the fan and motor assembly noise will be also reduced by such couplings. y

The grille 28 is at the bottom of the cabinet spaced slightly above the floor by feet 3, and the fan 33 and directing duct 42 (which are nearly the same diameter) are quite close to grille 28 and at the same level so that the fan and its cowling duct will throw a horizontal stream of high temperature vair directly out through grille 28 (which will spread or fan it out horizontally) in a stream which is close to but spaced suflicently above the floor to prevent dangerous overber having anv opentop or bottom, which contains the oil tankand oil controls, will have a natural chimney action or convection circulation keeping it cool. v

The lower front wall of the cabinet shell `has a circular, stamped-in socket opening which receives and frictionally retains a large area opening grille 28 which may be formed by cuttingand stamping-in vanes from the curved bezel 54. It will be noted that these upright varies point .in generally towards a common center so that they will laterally spread or -fan out the .fan forced air stream. y

Access to the interior of the heating unit and to the burners may be had through conventional cabinet door 56, an opening 51 intheshield or drum-enclosing wall 32, and the heating drum door 58, Y

l A multifbladed propeller type fan 33 is driven by an electric motor 34 which is mounted so that it is removed from and'insulated from the heat of the combustion unit and so that it may be easily serviced. The motor is mounted and shielded by a cup member 35 mounted in an heating thereof since it will' not strike the iloor close to the cabinet or until the stream has been cooled and diffused to a suillcient extent. It may be noted that the height of the fan 33 above the iloor is less than its diameter and, in fact, is roughly4 equal to its radiusin this specic embodiment.

Thus, during ian operation, the fan will, if it is powerful enough, draw all of the air down through the innermost and smaller area `and hotter passageway (between wall 32 and drum walls 1) and will draw some or all (depending on its power) of the partly heated air rising up through the separate oil tank passageway. When the fan is not running, outside or room air will enter grille 28 and, through opening 43, will rise up through the inner airpheating passageway by normal convection circulation as in a conven` tional air irculatingspace heater. Some, or a small amount of, the airAentering grille 28 may rise up through the space between iiange 42 and the shell I and go up the outer and larger and lower temperature passageway. Y

The lower end of the cabinet shell, remote from' the oil tank, may, if desired, have an air inlet grille 3I which is similar to grille 29. 'Also the lower end of the shield wall 32 may, if desired, haverelatively small or rather restricted openings or cut-out notches 59, as shown. Itl

neither opening 3l nor openings 59 were present, the lower end of the air heating passageway betweenthe `wall 32 and the cabinet?"I` "would be closed and would form a vdead air space with no appreciablel air circulationfduring "Yfanj operal tion. or during non-fan operation.

riius itl win `be apparent that `instead ef being.3

relatively small or restricted, openings may be eliminated. Thus each upwardlylextending air `heating passageway has its own bottom open'- ing. so that, Aduring fan `foperation.air is drawn down inside of wall 32' anddlschargedput of griue nlwhiie en` is entering 3|,frising `unbe:` i tween 32 and I andrislng out through grille 26 or, in whole or in part, depending up `on the pown ergo! the fan, being drawn downintthe inner passage. `When the `fari is notrunning, airenf ters ,and rises through each passagewaythrough also `be considered as a blower discharge ing Vnoazle. o

A s `disclosed with respect to Figs; 1 3, inc., and

` if-ldesired, the lower end or inewen n end the shell I may `have the relatively small 4openings 59 and grille y3|, respectively, to aid in prevent` ing; dead 'air spaces and in openingup the bot-` i tom intake area for. upward convection circulal tion. However, it willbe apparent that in this embodiment' both` openings 59 and'Il can be eliminated since each l fan can -draw hot air i downthrough its own separate heatingpassagen way and `each fan opening or grille can serve as 'f an air 'n inlet for the upward convection circu- 23 "and 3| respectively.` If,` as., shown. relatively d smallopenings! are used with opening-3|,"the` t inlet opening` area to theinner heating `pas`sage.

w'ay` is increased forits `normal upward-or nonfanl operation and, during fanoperation, some,

A eliminated 'if desired.

ora part,` of the air dischargedfbytheffan may bepulled infthrougliI 5 .9wwhich is small enough d to permitfalnbeing drawn` down `through the n innerpassageway. If opening 3| lwere notused, then, f during fan non-operation, air would` enter 28, some rising up the innerfpassageway and some Pasin pthrldlgh i'anhd rising up the, outer passageway, y

Figs. 4an`d5 show another embodiment `'of this lation when the fanstare not running.` Similarly, as noted with respect to Figs.13 inc.,`

either one of i opening 3i or openings can be It will also be apparent lin" each inpit lsto be -understood that variousvchanges invention. Since thelfeatures of the upper pore` tions ofthe heater unit are the same "as in Figs.

1, 2 and 3, they` are not shown herein: Also many of the features of this `embodiment are the same as in Figs. 1, 2` and 3 andi `carry the same reference numerals `and thus ,are `not further described herein.

`The `fansliaft bearing` issupported by a` tripodspiderii," the `straps T62 of whicharebent i at 'their ends and secured totheilange I2 by screws 631er other suitable "removable fastenings. The electricnrnotor Slis mounted on a suitablestrap 64a across the` openingbelowthe.

oil tank softhat the,` motor isjseparated and in-i sulated `fromthe combustion unit heat and is cooled by the rising current ofw'air in this entiV passageway. Themotor shaft carries two Dul-` leys 465 i and L14. `Al conventional V-beltliS` connectspulley `B6 and pulley E] on 4thefan shaft M. "`Asecond propeller type fan 1i is` secured on` shaft 5.68 .which isfjo'urnaledin a support pedestal 39 bolted on the base" 2.` fIwhe other end of shaft 68 `ilxedlyl carriesa pulley 12 which is driven from pulley14 by a short V -gbelt '|3.` r

Grilles "and `'I8` are formed ln' convexbezels 16` andl and Yfrictionally retained in sockets 15 and modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this inventiornand therefore the same is only'to be limited by the scope of the prior artand the appended claims.

` 1. A unit space heater comprisinganuprlght upright cabinet adjacent its bottom, an upright Y propeller-type fan associated with said flast two openings to pull air downrthrough said inner passageway and discharge it directly out into the `comprising an upright cabinet casing having an and `Bnl respectively, allas disclosedwithdrespect i to grille" 28., Thesel two grilles 15`andw18 and their fans or blower units "arefalso located at the same height andnsprea'dj or fan outthe discharge like grille 2B.` As`i`llustrated in Figs; 3 and 4, the fuel valvweunitis mounted behind the electric `inotor 64. Y l 'o 1 Thus, in this second embedimentfran :screws its stream of high temperature air drawn down around the drum `walls just as disclosed vwith respect totFigs. 1-3 inc. Fan 1I, however, draws its ,airfdown` the larger area outer heating passageway (between shelli andwall 32) at a lower velocity `due to the larger area which matches the lower temperature and consequent lower heating rate in this outer passage. Since` the temperature of the airdischarged by fan 1I is not so high, a directing cowling or duct like l2 is not as necessary. This short' duct 42 may up said outer passageway byeonvectioneircula-V 2. A unitgspace heater for aA roomY or the like open top and a circular opening in the lower portion of its front wall, feet supporting the lower end of said `casing close above the room floor, ail liquid fuel pot` burner i'n the lower portion of` said casing at lthe level of `said circular openingen upright heating drum for conning the products of combustion above said burner, an upright, spaced, enclosingwall for said drum providing an inner, open top, upwardly extending, air heatingpassageway around said drum and between it and said wall, a bottom plate closing the bottom ofsaid inner passageway, said f wall being spaceddnwardly from said casing to form anfouter, open top, upwardly extending, air heatingpassageway, a lower airA inlet for `said outerpassageway so that air may enterand rise tion, a horizontal aXispropelIer-type ffan close to and discharging directly out through said circular opening and between it and seid burner,

a cowling about said fan communicating through an opening in said enclosing wall so thatsald fan can` draw heated air rising in saidouter passageway down through said inner passaged embodiment thattlie fansmay be lused to, circulate air'in summer when the heating unit is not used. d 5

` `While only two embodimentsof "this inven` tion are illustrated and described in detailherei way and discharge it into the room through said vcircular opening.

3..A unit space yheater for a rooni or the like comprising an upright cabinet lcasing having upper and lower openings including an opening substantially at the bottom of its upright front wall, feet supporting the lower end of said casing above but close to the room iioor, a burner containing, upright heating .drum in and spaced from the casing walls to,form anupwardly extending, airheating passageway of large cross sectional area and communicating with said lower and upper openings for upward convection circulation of airtherethrough, partition means forming with said upright drum walls a downwardly extending, airheating passageway smaller than and within said larger passageway and having an upper air inlet within said larger passageway to supply heated air thereto, blower means associated with the lower end of said inner passageway to draw air down through it and along said upright heating drum and havinga short air discharge directing pipe at the same level as and pointing horizontally toward said front bottomopeningtodischarge a stream of high temperature air horizontally to and out throughv l enclosing w'all and said cabinet wall for said inner passageway, a short, horizontal, outwardly extending, air directing duct or fan cowling on said wall about its lower opening, and an upright propeller-type fan therein to draw air down through said inner passage and 'discharge it out through said lower cabinet opening in a substantially horizontal stream. e

5. A unit space heater comprisingY an upright, floor supported casing having 'an open top and containing an upright combustion heating unit and one upright enclosing wall spaced aboutsaid heating unit and spaced inwardly from said casing to provide inner and'outer upwardly extending and open topgair heating passageways, an

` opening means for said outer passageway in the lower portion of said casing and opening means for said inner-passageway including corresponding openings in the lower portions of said wall and said casing, and blowers in said casing and associated with 'each passageway to circulate air downwardly through each air heating passageway and to discharge itoutfof its .lower opening'means.

6; The organization 'set forth in claim 5 in/ which each lower openingnieans is horizontally directed and is close to but. spaced a safe distance above the floor and in which each bloweris an upright propellertype fan close behind its lower opening.

7.' The organization setrforth in claim. 5 in `which a blower driving motor is positioned' remote from and is insulated from said heating unit ano. each blower is connected to be driven by said one motor.

8. A unit space heater comprising an upright, oor supported casing having an open top, two liquid fuel burners spaced side .by side' in the bottom of said casing, an upright expansion drum forl the products of combustion over'said burners and spaced inwardly from said upright casing to form an upwardly extendingl open top, air heating passageway, an opening in the lower front wall of said casing communicating with said passageway, a fan close behind and discharging lair out through said opening after pulling it down said passageway, a fan driving motor mounted on the opposite side voi' said casing, anda fan-motor connecting shaft extending alongside of and between said burners.

9 A unit space heater for rooms or the likeV comprising an upright casing having upright side walls, an open top, and meanssupporting its lower end upon and close above the room floor, a lateral opening through thealower por-A tion of the upright side wall of said casing adjacent but spaced above the room oor, an air heating, upright, combustion drum spaced within said casing forming a narrow space to provide an upwardly extending air heating passageway, and an upright propeller-type fan in saidl narrow space andextending alongside of the lower side portion of said drum and close behind said lower opening to pull air down through said passageway around said drum and to discharge it directly out into the room through said lower opening. y

10. A unit space heater comprising an upright, oor supported casing having an open topv and upright side walls spacedly enclosing an' upright burner-heating unit forming a narrow space to provide an upright air heating passage therebetween, a lateral opening through the lower portion of the upright side wall of said casing adjacent to but spaced above the oor, an upright propeller-typefan in said narrow space extending alongside of the lower side portion of said burner-heating unit close behind said openingv to pull air down through said passageway around said drum and discharge it directly out through said lower opening,` a driving electric motor mountedv on the opposite, outer side of said casing to protect it from the heat from said burnerheating unit, and straight shaft means directly connecting said fan tc. said motor.

11. A unit room heater comprising an upright, open top casing having an upright front wall and having means 4to support it'on the room iioor, an upright combustion drum spacedly enclosed therein to form an upright, high temperature, air heating passageway with an open top, a burner in the lower end of said drum, an access door in said drum above said burner, a cooperating access door in the front wall of said casing, an upright, horizontally discharging, propeller-type fan drawing air through said open top and down said passageway and positioned in said passageway below said access doors alongside of the lower` side portion of said drum, and a discharge grille in said casing infront of said fan.

ROBERT l.` EVANS. y llilUGrEIIE F. FARREIL.

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