US2414455A - Blow torch for use with solidified fuel - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1947.

R. DINKLAGE BLOW TORCH FOR USELWITH SOLIDIFIED FUEL Filed July 12, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 74 pa Jan. 21, 1947. R. DINKLAGE BLOW TORCH FOR USE WITH SOLIDIFIED FUEL Filed July 12, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' IN V EN TOR.

1 M w OM 6 Patented Jan. 21, 1947 BLOW TORCH FOR USE WITH SOLIDIFIED Ralph Dinklage, Manhasset, N. Y., assignor to Safety-Fuel Incorporated, West Cheshire, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 12, 1943, Serial No. 494,316

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in blow torches for use with solidified fuel.

This and further objects of the invention will be understood from the following description read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional cut through one embodiment of the invention with certain parts shown in side elevation;

Fig. 2 represents a front view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the construction shown in Fig. 1 on the plane III-III thereof.

As 'shown in the drawings, fuel chamber I having preferably a concave bottom 2 is hermetically sealed at its top by the cover 3 strengthened by spider element 4. A gasket or washer 5 is provided between the cover 3 and the upper portion of shoulder 6 carried by the housing 9 of fuel chamber I adjacent the top thereof. Dolly bar 'I and set screw 8 hold cover 3 tightly against gasket or washer 5 lying on shoulder 6, thus hermetically sealing fuel chamber I. A combustion chamber Ill comprising the mantel I I and the perforations I2 is threaded into the connecting piece I3 preferably riveted to the housing 9 by rivets II. The connecting piece I3 has the fuel gas communication channel or ducts I4, I5 leading from fuel chamber I to combustion chamber ID by way of nozzle head IS. A needle valve 20, including valve seat I8 and valve stem I9 controls the gas supply to nozzle head I 6. Numeral 2I indicates a handle preferably riveted to housing 9 by means of rivets 22 on the housing side opposite the combustion chamber. A removable fuel receptacle 24 is preferably provided in chamber I and substantially held in fixed position by the heads of the rivets ll, 22 and 23, as

well as the spider arms 4, pressed against the inwardly bent receptacle rim or shoulder 25 by means of dolly bar I and set screw 8.

The blow torch in accordance with the invention is designed for use withsolidified normally liquid flammable fuel such as a hydrocarbon fuel of relatively low flash point and essentially comprises a fuel chamber for holding such solidified fuel, means for charging said fuel chamber with such solidified fuel, means for hermetically sealing said charging means, a combustion chamber for combusting vapors of such fuel, means for passing vapors of such fuel from said fuel chamber into said combustion chamber and means for conducting heat from said combustion chamber to said fuel chamber.

J In the practical application of my novel blow torch I proceed as follows. Dolly bar 'I is removed from cover 3 by unscrewing set screw 8. After removal of cover 3 a solidified normally liquid flammable fuel, such as for instance, a solidified kerosene or naphtha is introduced into fuel chamber I. This solidified fuel may be provided in containers and if so I prefer to insert a container of solidified fuel with the top removed, into the fuel chamber I. Such practice is for instance illustrated in the drawings in which a fuel container is indicated by numeral 24 (Fig. 1). container-receptacle is preferred as the fuel, after its use in the blow torch, leaves a certain amount of residue, which in the case of the use of a separate container-receptacle can be removed together with the same. After fuel chamber I has been charged with the solidified fuel the chamber is closed by means of the cover 3, dolly bar I and set screw 8, a vapor leak-proof seal being assured by the gasket or washer of suitable material 5. In the event that solidified fuel is used in a removable container or recep- 7 tacle, such receptacle should be so dimensioned and spaced within the fuel chamber that a sufficient space or conduit for the passage of gas vapors is assured to the duct I4, I5. This is accomplished by the rivet heads II. Although. not absolutely necessary, it may be desirable to appropriately space the fuel container or receptacle 24 from all sides as is for instance illustrated in Fig. 1 by the additional provision of the heads of the rivets 22 and 23. The important spacing, however, is that adjacent the side of the combustion chamber and the gasor vapor conduit there provided should be at least equivalent to that of duct or passage I4. The fuel vapors emanating from the fuel-receptacle 24 will riseto the top of the fuel chamber and to the spaces between the spider arms 4 (Fig. 3) and thence to the space between housing 9 and receptacle 24 From this latter space the fuel vapors pass 'to and through the conduits I4, I5 and into the combustion chamber IIJ. After the solidified fuel has been placed intothe fuel chamber I, cover 3 is replaced and tightened on housing 9 bymeans of the dolly bar I and set screw 8, providing a vaporproof seal by reason of the gasket or washers 5.

A suitable combustible fuel material, such as some solidified fuel, is placed on the ledge or shelf 26 attached to housing 9 below the combustion chamber I0 and the connecting piece I3. The preferably solid piece I3 is made of heat conductive material and preferably of brass, cop- The use of the solidified fuel in a separate per, silver or the like. While not absolutely necessary, it is preferable to also have the shelf or ledge 26 constituted of a highly heat conductive metal. Upon igniting the combustible fuel material on shelf or ledge 26, the same will heat the mantel I I of fuel chamber I and/or the conducting piece '13, thereby causing heat to be transmitted to the housing 9 and fuel chamber l. The various heat conductive contacts between housing 9 and receptacle 24 such as bottom 2, the heads of the rivets l l, 22, 23 or other appropriate means will aid in transmitting heat to receptacle 24. If the material of shelf or ledge 26 is itself constituted of heat conductive material, heat is also directly transmitted from the shelf to the housing 9. The initial heat conducted to fuel chamber I will vaporize the solidified fuel in the fuel receptacle. Needle valve is preferably only slightly open to permit the building up of a certain amount of fuel gas pressure and the gas emerging under pressure from nozzle head l6 into fuel chamber I0 is there mixed with air supplied through perforations i2. Once the combustible fuel vapor or gas mix is ignited and its combustion reaches a point where the mantel ll of the fuel chamber I 0 becomes sufficiently hot, combustion heat passes from mantel ll through the connecting piece l3 and housing 9 to the fuel chamber, further heating by means of the fuel ledge'or tray 26 may then be discontinued. Needle valve 20 may then be opened wider and may be generally controlled in any desired manner for regulating the gas supply to nozzle 26 and thus to the combustion chamber It].

The heat conductive connections between the combustion chamber of the blow torch in accordance with my invention and the fuel chamber thereof should be so dimensioned as to conduct an amount of heat from the combustion chamber to the receptacle and/or the fuel chamber sufficient to be at least equal to the latent heat of vaporization of that amount of fuel required for the satisfactory combustion in the combustion chamber. This result may be, for instance, obtained as hereinabove pointed out and as illustrated in the drawings by selecting a substantially solid connection piece such as connection piece l3 substantially of a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the combustion mantel and to select a material of high thermal conductive efiiciency for the various heat conducting elements such as brass, copper, silver or the like.

Within the preferred application of the blow torch in accordance with the invention, the solidified normally liquid flammable fuel to be used. therein is preferably of the type that will not melt or run upon being heated or burned. Such a fuel may be, for instance, obtained in "coordance with the co-pending application of Albert J. Laliberte, Serial No. 435,165 filed March 18, 1942, which became Patent No. 2,385,361 on December 30, 19%. The vaporization of such fuel by heat conducted into the fuel chamber or the fuel receptacle proceeds without liquefaction of the fuel and thus there is no danger of leakage 4 or spillage of fuel no matter what the position of the blow torch.

The foregoing description is for purposes of illustration and not of limitation and it is therefore my intention that the invention be limited only by the following claims wherein I have endeavored to claim broadly all inherent novelty.

I claim:

A blow torch for use with solidified normally liquid flammable fuel which comprises means forming a pressure retaining fuel chamber, a removable receptacle in said fuel chamber for holding such solidified fuel, said fuel chamber having an opening for inserting and removing said receptacle, means for hermetically sealing said opening, means forming a combustion chamber for combusting vapors of such fuel, a substantially solid metallic heat conductive member securing said combustion chamber in heat conductive relation to said fuel chamber, a fuel vapor feed nozzle in said combustion chamber and a fuel vapor feed conduit connecting said nozzle with said pressure retaining chamber.

2. A blow torch for use with solidified normally liquid flammable fuel which comprises means forming a pressure retaining fuel chamber, a removable receptacle in said fuel chamber for holding such solidified fuel, said fuel chamber having an opening for inserting and removing said receptacle, means for hermetically sealing said opening, means forming a combustion chamber for combusting vapors of such fuel, a substantially solid metallic heat conductive member securing said combustion chamber in heat conductive relation to said fuel chamber, means within said fuel chamber for spacing such receptacle from at least the chamber wall adjacent said metallic heat conductive member to define therebetween a fuel vapor passage in communication with such receptacle when in said fuel chamber, a fuel vapor feed nozzle in said combustion chamber.

and a fuel vapor feed conduit connecting said nozzle with said fuel vapor passage.

3. A blow torch for use with solidified normally liquid flammable fuel which comprises means forming a pressure retaining fuel chamber of heat conductive material, a removable heat conductive receptacle in said fuel chamber for holding such solidified fuel, said fuel chamber having an opening for inserting and removing such receptacle, means for hermetically sealing said opening, means forming a combustion chamber for combustion vapors of such fuel, a substantially solid heat conductive metal member carrying j feed conduit connecting said passage with said nozzle and a control valve for regulating the amount of vapor feed passing through said vapor feed conduit.

RALPH DIVNKLAGE. 1

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