US2577302A - Humidifier system for air-heating furnaces - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1951 D. c. BERT HUMIDIF'IER SYSTEM FOR AIR HEATING FURNACES Filed Jan. 9, 1951 FIG] INVENTOR. [JAN/1. C 5R 7' I invention installed therein;

Patented Dec. 4, 1951 HUMIDIFIER SYSTEM FOR AIR-HEATING FURNACES Daniel C. Bert, Monroe, Mich.

Application January 9, 1951, Serial No. 205,203

3 Claims.

This invention relates to air-conditioning systems, and more particularly to a humidifier apparatus for use'in a hot air furnace.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved air-moistening device for a hot air furnace, said device being very simple in construction, being easy to install in 9, conventional hot air furnace, and bein operable for long periods of time without requiring human attention.

v A further object of the invention is to provide an improved air-humidifying attachment for a hot air furnace, said attachment being inexpensive to construct, involving relatively few parts,

being protected against overflow, and providing a constant supply of moisture in the heated air furnished by the furnace.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent, from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in vertical cross-section, of the upper portion of a conventional hot air furnace showing an improved humidifying apparatus according to the present Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1; h

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the upper portion of the hotair furnace of Figure 1, showing, in full lines, the location of the open arm of the fitting relative to the associated drain pipe when the fitting is in its normal overflow position and showing, in dotted lines, the location of the open arm ofthe fitting when the fitting is in itsposition't'o constitute a drain conduit;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plain view of a modified form of moisture-dispensing conduit which may be employed in the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, H designates" the outer casing of a, conventional hot air furnace containing the usual fire box crown l2. Designated at 13 is a horizontal conduit which is secured in the casing H and which extends diametrically across said casing just above the crown I I2. The conduit I3 is formed at its top wall with the uniformly spaced apertures M, at least one of said apertures being located outside the casing H, as shown at I4 in Figure 2. The aperture l4 enables the depth of water in the conduit l3 to be measured from outside the furnace by the insertion of a suitably calibrated rod vertically into the aperture 14'. Secured to the right end of the conduit l3, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, is a T-fitting l5 having the depending stem l6 which is closed by a suitable, removable plug l1, enabling the conduit I3 to be flushed or drained, whenever desired, by the removal of the plug ll. As shown in Figure 1, one lateral branch of the T-fitting I5 is connected to the conduit l3. Connected to the other lateral branch of T-fitting I5 is an L-fitting [8 which is arranged with its open arm angled upwardly, as shown in Figure 3, establishing an overflow level for the water in the conduit l3. It is to be noted that due to the drip flow of the water into'the conduit I3 the overflow of water from the open arm of the fitting I8 is correspondingly small in volume, the

water overflow running down along the outside of the open arm of the fitting l8 and be of the same at the lowest point thereof. Designated at I9 is a drain pipe which is arranged in vertical position beneath the T-fitting l8 and which is located in alignment with the lowest point of the open arm of the fitting l8 to receive water overflowing from the open end of the L-fitting I8 and to convey said overflow water to a suitable drain.

Secured to the left end of the conduit l3, as

Y viewed in Figure 1, is a T-fitting 20 having the upstanding open stem portion 2|. Designated at 22 is a water supply pipe having the manual control valve 23, the end of the pipe 22 being arranged over the open stem portion 2 I of the T-fitting 20, as shown in Figure l at 24. The valve 7 23 may be adjusted to provide a desiredrate of drip of water from the end 24 of supply conduit 22 into the open, upstanding stem portion 2! of the T-fitting 29. As shown in Figure 1, one lateral branch of the T-fitting 20 is connected to the conduit l3.' Connected to the other lateral branch of the T-fitting 20 is the float valve 25.

- Connected to said float valve is the additional water supply conduit 26 which includes a, shutofi valve 21. When valve 21 is open, water will be admitted into the conduit [3 through the valve 25, the level of the water in conduit 13 being determined by the adjustment of the float in the float valve 25. The float valve 25 may be adjusted to provide, for example, a level in conduit l3 wherein the water rises approximately to two-thirds the height of the conduit bore.

In operation, as the hot air moves upwardly past the humidifying conduit 13, water is evaporated from said conduit and escapes through the apertures [4. The level of the water in the I conduit I3 is maintained substantially constant by the float valve 25. The provision of the drip conduit 22 and the adjustment of the associated valve 23 provide a constant supply of water at a 'very slow rate to the conduit I3 which may be adjusted in accordance with external temperature and humidity conditions at the location where the apparatus is employed. The adjustment of the drip valve 23 eliminates the need for frequent operation of the float valve 25. if the drip valve 23 is properly adjusted, the float valve 25 will operate only at very infrequent intervals, as, for example, when the atmospheric conditions, such as temperature and humidity, change drastically in such a way as to cause the rate of evaporation from the conduit I? to increase by a substantial amount. If the-drip valve 23 is adjusted to provide for average conditions, float valve 25 will operate only when conditions become abnormal, as for example, when a large increase in the rate of evaporation of moisture :from conduit It occurs, due to a large decrease in the moisture content of the air moving through the furnace. If the rate of evaporation of moisture from the conduit 53 should diminish to such a'degree that .substanlially more water is provided by the drip conduit 22than is evaporated through the apertures M of the conduit, the level of water in the conduit rises and overflows into the-drain pipe ill from the open L-fit;ing 18,.as

above described.

As shown in Figure 4, the conduit it may be formed with longitudinal slots 28, spaced uni- .formly along the length of the conduit, instead .-of being formed with the spaced apertures l4 shown in Figure 2. V

-It will be further apparent that the apparatus above described may be employed in any hot air furnace by merely mounting the apparatus horizontally in the furnace in the path of hot air moving through the furnace. In the caseof a conventional furnace, such as the furnace shown in Figure 1, it is merely necessary to form openings diame rically oppositely located in the top portion or other portion of the furnace casing in which the conduit 23 may be secured, no further modification oi the furnace being required.

It will be further noted that the conduit I3 .spans the entire 'furnace with all fitlings on the outside of the furnace. This removes all danger Lo'f leaks, caused by expansion and contraction of seams, Welds and threaded joints. When .it is desired to withdraw'the water contained in'the conduit 13 after the drip valve 23 in the supply conduit 22 has been closed, the open arm of'the f'fitting I8 is swung to its dotted line'position of Fi'gure 3 to thereby constitute a drain conduit for the water contained'in the conduit I3.

While certain specific embodiments of animproved humidifying apparatus'for hotair heating systems have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the. invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it 'is intended that no limitations be placed on the In other words,

its top wall, a water supply valve connected to one end of the conduit, and an L-fitting having the free end of one arm connected to the other end of the conduit and having the free end of .the-other-arm angled upwardly to define an overflow passage allowing water to discharge from the conduit when a predetermined level therein is exceeded.

2. .In a hot air, furnace, a hot air space, a horizontal conduit secured in said hot air space and extending across the furnace, the ends of the conduit extending outside the furnace, the conduit being formed with a plurality of openings along its .top wall, at leastone of said openings being located outside the furnace, water supply means connected to one end of the conduit, and 5 an L-shaped fitting having the free end'of one .arm connected to the'other end of the conduit and having the 'free end of the other arm angled upwardly todcfine an overflow passage allowing water to discharge from the conduitwhen a predetermined level therein is exceeded. 7 3. In a hot air furnace, an .air dome, a horizontal conduit secured :to said air dome. andextending across the furnace, the ends of the conduitextending outside .thefzurnace, the conduit being formed witha plurality of openings along its top wall, at least one of said openings being located outside the furnace, a T-fitting connected .to one end-of the conduit withits stem extending upwardly, a float-controlled valve connected to the outer branchof said T-fittinga first water supply conduit connected to said valve, a second water supply conduitarranged above the stem of the T-fitting, a drip valve in said second water :supply conduit arranged to regulate the rate of T dripping of water intosaid stemfrom said second supply conduit, and .an L-shaped fitting having the freeend of one arm connected to the other end of the horizontal conduit and having the free .end of the other .arm...ang1ed upwardlyto define an overfiowpassage allowing water todischarge from the conduit when a predetermined therein is exceeded.

DANIEL C. BERT.

level REFERENCES CITED' Theiollowingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

*UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Date 1,425i608 *Sallada Aug. 15,1922 1,621,436 Sallada Mar. I5, 1927 2,212;4l8 Hamann Aug. '20, 1940 '2,458;064 'Di Petta Jan. 4, 1 949

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