US3342174A

US3342174A - Oil-fired heaters

Info

Publication number: US3342174A
Application number: US434422A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tongue Dennis; Bickley Brian John; Robertson David Alexander
Original assignee: Valor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Valor Co Ltd
Priority date: 1964-02-21
Filing date: 1965-02-23
Publication date: 1967-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1984-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1967' D'TONGUE ETAL 3,342,174

OIL-FIRED HEATERS Filed Feb. 23, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 19, 1 967 Q' ETAL 3,342,174

OIL-FIRED mmrms Filed Feb. 23, 1965 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 19, 1967 D. TONGUE ETAL OIL-FIRED HEATERS Filed Feb. 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent C 3,342,174 OIL-FIRED HEATERS Dennis Tongue, Brian John Bickley, and David Alexander Robertson, Warwickshire, England, assignors to The Valor Company Limited, Bromford, Erdington, Birmingham, England, a British company Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,422 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 21, 1964, 7,260/64; Apr. 30, 1964, 17,925/64; Oct. 24, 1964, 43,460/ 64; Jan. 30, 1965, 4,187/65 4 Claims. (Cl. 126-96) The present invention consists in an oil-fired space heater having a burner of the long drum type, that is to say in which the burner is mounted at the base of a draught inducing chimney, the burner being fed by a wick on which the flame burns almost directly and in which is provided, for putting out the flame if the heater is knocked over, tilted or lifted from the floor or other surface on which it is standing, a safety device comprising a flame extinguisher mounted inside the chimney, spring means for moving the flame extinguisher towards the burner with sufficient rapidity normally to blow out the flame and to bring the flame extinguisher into a final position in which it covers the wick, latch means for holding the flame extinguisher in an initial position clear of the wick against the action of the spring means, and preloaded means for releasing the latch means but restrained from so releasing it, while the heater is standing normally, by the engagement of a shoe with the floor.

The rapid movement of the flame extinguisher under the action of the spring means directs a puff of air towards the wick which is usually sufficient to extinguish its flame but the covering of the wick in the final position of the flame extinguisher, by severely restricting the movement of the atmosphere surrounding the wick and so preventing air for combustion reaching it, ensures that the flame goes out.

The flame extinguished may be in the form of an in verted cup. The top of a Wick burner normally projects slightly through an opening in a cone or other surrounding member at the bottom of the chimney and the rim or adjacent portion of the flame extinguisher cup, in the extinguishing position, may engage a continuous marginal portion around the opening of the cone or other member. Alternatively it could engage a similarly continuous, wick-surrounding part of the burner itself. The cup should not touch the wick itself but it may conform quite closely to the contours of the top. of the burner. The cup may be allowed some freedom of movement in relation to its support to enable it to seat well on the cone or other portion it engages in the final position.

. The flame extinguisher may be pivotally mounted to one side of the burner, normally being held in a vertical initial position but, on release, swinging down to a horizontal final position in which it covers the wick.

The latch means may be urged continuously towards the off condition by the pre-loaded means (in the form of a spring for example) which is indirectly restrained from releasing the latch means by the obstruction of the latch means by a member connected to the shoe and unable to move until the heater base is raised from the floor.

It is preferred however that the pre-loaded means is formed by a spring-loaded linkage connecting the shoe to the latch means and that the latch means tends to remain in the restraining condition until acted upon by the linkage.

The shoe may be formed by, or be fitted to, the lower end of a plunger or arm or it may be some other form of member suitable for floor engagement.

For lighting or other attention to the burner the chimney which may be distinct from or be formed by the part of the heater casing above the burner is usually openable by making the chimney removable completely or by hinging it at one side so that it can be swung out of the way.

The flame extinguisher and latch means will usually be mounted on the movable chimney and it is desirable to avoid release of the extinguisher when the chimney is merely being opened.

This may be achieved by arranging that the pre-loaded means is formed by the linkage connecting the shoe to the latch means, as previously described and by the use of a readily releasable connection in the linkage between the shoe and latch means. The simplest form of connection comprises abutting members; a pusher actuated by the shoe and a follower on the latch mechanism. Where the pusher moves upwards to actuate the follower a reversing mechanism may be included between the pusher and shoe which must be urged downwards against the floor to perform its function.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of an oil-fired space heater including one form of safety device according to the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of the heater and of the safety device shown in F1- URE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a simplified plan view of the heater and safety device,

FIGURE 4 is a detail view of vice,

FIGURE 5 is a side view of another oil-fired space heater, partly broken away, including an alternative form of safety device,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of the heater and safety device shown in FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 is a simplified fragmentary View of the heater and safety device of FIGURES 5 and 6,

FIGURE 8 is a modified form of the safety device shown in FIGURES 5 to 7 provided in another form of heater,

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of yet another form of oil-fired space heater, shown opened, including a further form of safety device, and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view partly in section part of the safety de- -of part of the heater and safety device shown in FIG- URE 9.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the invention is applied to an oil-fired space heater having a fuel tank 10 raised from the floor or other surface by feet 9, a gallery 11 surrounding a burner 12 of the long drum type mounted on thef uel tank 10, and an upright tubular, draught-inducing chimney 13 surrounding the burner 12. Fuel is lifted from the fuel tank 10 to the burner 12 by a tubular wick 14 on which the flame burns almost directly. A flame spreader 15 of the perforated inverted cup type is included in the burner 12. The chimney 13 rests on the gallery 11 and can be lifted off bodily for lighting or other attention to the burner 12. At the lower end of the chimney 13 there is a cone 16 with a central opening 17 through which slightly project the flame spreader 15 and the wick 14, when raised.

In accordance with the invention a safety device is provided for putting out the burner flame if the heater is knocked over, tilted or lifted from the floor or other surface on which the heater stands. Forming part of the safety device is a flame extinguisher which is a circular pressing in the form of a shallow inverted cup 18 shaped to cover the opening 17 in the cone 16 and to conform closely to the contour of the projecting flame spreader and wick 14 but without touching the wick. The cup 18 has a radially outwardly directed rim 19 which in an extinguishing position of the cup 18 is arranged to seat on a flat continuous marginal portion of the cone 16 surrounding the wick 14, as shown in FIGURE 2. The cup 18 is connected at its centre to one end of a flat sheet-metal, radial arm 21, connection being such that the cup is allowed some freedom of movement in relation to the arm 21 to enable the rim 19 to seat closely against the marginal portion 20 of the cone 16 when the cup is in its extinguishing position. At its other end the arm 21 is rigidly secured to a rod 22 extending horizontally normal to the arm and journalled for rotation about its axis chordally in the chimney 13, as shown in FIG- URE 3, above the cone 16. At one end the rod 22, outside the ohimney 13, is bent back in hook shape through two right angles to form a latch engaging pin 23 parallel to and below the main portion of the rod 22. Mounted on the rod 22 close to its hooked end is a link member 29 which extends between and is rigidly secured to the main portion of the rod and the pin 23, the arrangement being such that the hooked end of the rod and link member 29 together define a closed loop. The opposite end of the rod is cranked at right angles to form a reset lever 30.

A latch member 24 is pivoted to the outside of the chimney 13 at the end of a diameter of the chimney parallel to the rod 22. It extends horizontally and its other end passes through the loop defined by the hooked end of the rod and the link member 29. On its lower edge the latch member 24 has a downwardly directed nose 25 at the root of which, on the side of the nose nearest the pivotal connection of the latch member to the chimney, is a notch 26. This notch 26 is arranged so that it can be engaged by the latch engaging pin 23.

The cup 18 can be swung, about the axis of the rod 22, between an initial upright position, shown in full lines in FIGURE 2, clear of the burner and wick and a horizontal final position, as indicated by broken lines in FIGURE 2 and also shown in FIGURE 3. The cup 18 is urged to the horizontal final position by a tension spring 27 anchored at one end to an extension 28 of the link member 29 above the rod and at the other end to the latch member 24 adjacent to its pivotal connection to the chimney and which is thereby urged clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 2. The cup 18 can be swung from the horizontal final position, against the action of the tension spring 27 by manually moving the reset lever 30 angularly to turn the rod about its axis. In the horizontal final position of the cup 18 the cranked end of the rod is disposed as shown in FIGURE 4 with the latch engaging pin 23 behind the nose 25 away from the notch 26. As the cup is swung upwards on rotation of the rod the pin 23 travels under the nose 25. When the pin 23 reaches the notch 26 the latch member is moved clockwise by the spring 27 about its pivotal connection to the chimney so that the notch 26 closes over the pin and thereby holds the cup in the vertical position against the action of the tension spring 27.

A vertical plunger 31 slidably mounted in a guide tube 32 extending through the fuel tank 10 forms a latch releasing member. The lower end of the plunger 31 is connected to one end of a lever 33 pivoted centrally to a bracket 34 secured to the underside of the fuel tank 10. The other end of the lever 33 is shaped to form a floorengaging shoe 35. At the top of the plunger 31 there is a disc-shaped head 36 against which bears one end of a helical compression spring 37 fitted around the rod above the fuel tank and bearing at its other end on the upper surface of the fuel tank so as to urge the plunger upwards. Although the compression spring 37 urges the plunger 31 upwards, so long as the heater is standing normally on the floor the shoe stops the plunger from moving upwards. The head 36 of the plunger lies immediately below a downward abutment 38 of the latch member 24. If the heater is knocked over, tilted or lifted,

the shoe 35 allows the compression spring 37 to raise the plunger and lift the notch 26 of the latch member off the pin 23. The tension spring 27 then swings the cup down rapidly to the horizontal extinguishing position. The rapidity with which the cup is swung down is normally sufficient to blow out the flame but even if it is not blown out completely, since the cup is shaped to conform closely to the contours of the flame spreader 15 and wick and the rim 19 of the cup engages closely with the marginal portion 29 of the cone, the flame very soon dies out because of the lack of air to maintain it.

The chimney 13 can be lifted off the fuel tank without disturbing the engagement of the latch member with the pin 23.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings an oil-fired space heater having a burner of the long-drum type is again provided, being of similar construction to that described in the previous embodiment, but in this instance the heater is fitted inside a rectangular casing 39. The parts of the heater are identified by the same reference numerals as used in the previous embodiment. Access can be gained to the heater through the rear of the casing 39.

A safety device for putting out the burner flame if the heating appliance is knocked over, tilted or lifted from the floor on which the appliance stands is mounted partly on the chimney 13 and partly on the casing 39. A flame extinguisher in the form of an inverted s'hallow cup 40 with an outwardly directed rim 41 is attached, in a manner enabling some freedom of movement as before, to the free end of a flat sheet-metal arm 42. The other end of the arm 42 is secured to a rod 43 journalled for rotation in bearing holes 44 in the chimney 13 about an axis which is a chord to the cross-section of the chimney and close to one side of the chimney, as shown in FIGURE 7. One end of the rod 43, outside the chimney 13, is connected to a torsion spring 45 anchored by a pin 46 to the chimney, which spring 45 urges the rod to rotate about its axis in the direction to bring the cup 40 down over the top of the burner. The other end of the rod has a radial arm 47 by means of which the rod can be turned by hand.

A latch member 48 is pivoted at an intermediate point in its length about a horizontal pivot pin 49 above and parallel to the rod 43, but on the outside of the chimney, and carried by brackets 50 fitted to the chimney. The latch member 48 lies radially with respect to the chimney and its inner end projects through a vertical slot 51 in the chimney wall and is formed near its inner end with an upwardly directed notch 52 inwards of which the upper edge of the latch member curves downwards to form a curved nose 53. There is an aperture 54 in the arm 42 which passes over the nose 53 when the arm 42 is swung upwards. Across the aperture 54 is secured a short rod 55 on which a tubular roller follower 56 is freely rotatable. As the arm 42 is swung upwards over the nose 53 the follower 56 engages the nose and depresses the inner end of the latch member against the action of a tension spring 57 anchored to the latch member outwardly of the pivot pin 49 and to the chimney below the latch member. The inner end of the latch member continues to be depressed until the follower 56 passes beyond the highest point of the nose 53 and the tension spring 57 causes the inner end of the latch member to be raised again so that the follower 56 is engaged in the notch 52. The catch so formed holds the cup 40 set against the action of the spring 57 in the initial upright position clear of the burner wick 14 and flame spreader 15.

The latch member 48 extends in the other direction from the pivot pin 49 radially outwards over the periph cry of the fuel tank 10 and, when the heater is in position in the casing 39, its outer end is immediately above a disc-shaped head 58 on the upper end of an upright plunger 59 slidably mounted in the casing 39 and urged upwards by a compression spring 60 which bears at its upper end against a collar 61 anchored to the plunger 59 and at its lower end against a base panel 62 of the casing 39. At its lower end the plunger 59 projects through an aperture 63 in the base panel 62. The casing is raised from the floor on feet 64. Below the base panel 62 is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis a lever 65 one end of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of the plunger 59 and the other end forms a floorengaging shoe 66 pressed by the action of the compression spring 60 on the plunger against the floor.

If the heating appliance is lifted from the floor, tilted or knocked over, the shoe 66 is free to move downwards and therefore the plunger 59 upwards under the action of the compression spring 60 to trip the latch member and cup 40 which swings rapidly downwards under the action of the torsion spring 45 to its horizontal extinguishing position. The provision of the roller follower 56 makes the operation of the catch very light.

As in the previous embodiment the rapidity with which the cup is swung down is normally sufficient to blow out the flame. However, the cup is shaped to follow closely the contours of the flame spreader 15 and wick 14 and the rim 41 is arranged to engage closely with the marginal portion 20 of the cone 16 around the burner, so that even though the flame may not be blown out completely it very soon dies out because of the lack of air to maintain it.

Access is gained through a removable front panel (not shown) of the casing 39 to the crank arm 47 of the rod 43 for swinging the cup back to its initial upright position when resetting the safety device.

As the head 58 of the plunger 59 merely abuts the outer end of the latch member there is no interference with removalof the chimney 13, for lighting the burner, for example, and if the cup has been set in its upright position before removal of the chimney, it remains set during removal.

The fuel tank of the heater in this embodiment is of rectangular horizontal cross-section so that the heater can normally be easily located correctly in the casing and the latch member 48 will automatically come over the plunger head 58. However, where the fuel tank is of circular cross-section for example location is not so accurate and to provide for this the part of the safety device just described for releasing the catch is modified. This is shown in FIGURE 8 in which the heater has a circular fuel tank and is fitted in a casing 67 of generally tri angular horizontal cross-section and tapered towards the top of the casing with a door 68 at the front for access to the burner. The heater is located by placing the fuel tank in a circular tray 69 on the base of the casing, and is arranged with the latch member 48 rearwardly directed. A presser bar 70 in the form of a stiff metal loop is pivoted at its ends 71 about ahorizontal axis to brackets 72 secured to the inside surface of the sides of the casing, near the front of the casing, and extends in an arc of substantially 180 centred on the vertical axis of the chimney around the rear of the chimney 13. Atthe middle of its curved portion the presser bar 70 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a plunger 73 pivoted at its lower end to one end of a lever 74 centrally pivoted to lugs 75 on the face of the casing, the other end of which extends through the base and forms a floor-engaging shoe. The plunger is normally urged upwards by a tension spring 76 anchored to the back of the casing and to the lower end of the plunger, but is held in a lowered position, against the action of the spring 76 when the shoe engages the floor. The outer end of the latch member 48 rests on the presser bar and will do so at any part of the curved portion of the presser bar. By this arrangement the latch member 48 will be actuated by movement of the plunger 73 whether or not the latch member is vertically aligned with the plunger. t

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 the invention is applied to an upright heater having a vented, Wide cylindrical chimney 78 which is closed at the top and hinged at its lower end, at one side, to a vented, generally cylindrical base casing 79 in which a circular fuel tank 80 is removably supported. A burner 81 of the long drum type fed by a tubular wick 82 and having a flame spreader 83 is mounted on the fuel tank and surrounded by a gallery 84. Rigid with and closing the lower end of the chimney 78 is an inverted substantially dish-shaped cone plate 85 of wider diameter than the chimney and arranged to seat on and thereby close the top of the base casing 79. The cone plate 85 is hinged at one side by a hinge pin 86 to brackets 87 on the base casing 79. A cylindrical cone 88 rigidly secured axially to the cone plate 85 is arranged to surround the burner 81 and has an annular skirt portion 89 at its lower end which co-operates with the gallery 84. The flame spreader 83 and wick are arranged to project slightly above the cone 88 through a central opening 90 in top of the cone. Access is gained to the fuel tank 80 and burner 81 by swinging the chimney, together with the cone plate 85 and cone 88, away from and to one side of the base casing 79, as shown in FIGURE 9. i

A safety device for extinguishing the burner flame if the heater is tilted, knocked over or lifted from the floor includes in the chimney 78 a flame extinguisher in the form of a sheet-metal inverted cup 91 shaped to enclose the cone 88 and projecting flame spreader and wick, without touching the wick, and to seat closely on the cone plate 85 around the cone 88. The cup 91 is connected, in a manner enabling some freedom of movement of the cup, to one end of an angled, channel section pivot arm 92 which extends downwards from the cup through an opening 93 in the cone plate 85 and is pivotal at an intermediate part of its length by a pivot pin 94 to lugs 95 formed out of the cone plate below the opening 93. The other end of the pivot arm 92, below the cone plate, is pivotally connected to the inner end of an inverted channel-shaped latch member 96 in the form of a straight arm which at its other outer end has a downwardlydirected notch 97 and projects out of the cone plate through a slot 98 above the hinge connect-ion between the cone plate and base casing 79. The latch member 96 is slidable in the slot 98. The cup 91 is normally urged to a horizontal final position in which it is closed over the burner and cone 88 by a tension spring 99 anchored at one end to the pivotal connection between the pivot arm 92 and latch member 96 and at the other end to the cone plate below the slot 98. This tension spring 99 is disposed in the channel of the latch member 96. i

The cup can be swung against the action of the spring 99 from the horizontal final position to a substantially vertical, initial position, close to the chimney wall and clear of the burner and cone, by pushing the latch mem ber 96 inwards by hand thus causing the pivot arm to swing about the pivot pin 94. When the cup reaches the vertical position the outer end of the latch member drops down and the notch 97 engages over the lower edge of the slot 98 so as to hold the cup in the vertical position against the action of the tension spring 99. The notch 97 and the lower edge of the slot 98 form a catch to hold the cup set in the vertical position.

Slidably mounted in the base casing 79 to one side of the fuel tank 80 and immediately below the latch member 96 is a vertical plunger 100. The plunger 100 extends downwards through a guide aperture 101 in an inwardly directed flange 102 of the base casing on which the fuel tank is supported. The lower end of the plunger passes through anopening 103 in the bottom of the base casing and is pivoted to one end of a lever 104 centrally pivoted to lugs 105 on the bottom of the base casing and forming at its other end a floor-engaging shoe 106 disposed below the middle of the bottom of the base casing. A tension spring 107 anchored to the plunger and base casing urges the plunger upwards and thereby the shoe 106 down- Wards, but the plunger is held in a lowered position against the action of the spring 107 by engagement of the shoe with the floor when the heater is standing normally on the floor.

In use, when the cup has been set in the initial vertical position as previously described, if the heater is lifted from the floor, tilted or knocked over, the plunger is free to move upwards under the action of the spring 107, since the shoe is no longer in contact with the floor, and lifts the outer end of the bar so that the notch 97 is raised out of engagement with the lower edge of the slot 98. Immediately the notch 97 is disengaged the latch member is free to slide outwardly through the slot and the cup is swung rapidly down with the pivot arm 92 over the burner and cone under the action of the tension spring 99. As in the previous embodiments the rapidity with which cup is swung down is normally sufficient to cause the burner flame to be blown out, but even if the flame is not completely blown out it will very soon die out because of the lack of air to maintain it.

The chimney can be swung back on its hinge without interference by the safety device, the latch member merely swinging with it away from the plunger. Equally, the safety device, if set, is unaffected by swinging back the chimney and remains set.

To ease the releasing of the notch 97 from the slot 98 and also sliding of the latch member in the slot a roller follower may be provided along the lower edge of the slot. Also instead of the tension spring 99, a torsion spring may be provided which acts on the pivot pin 94 of the pivot arm 92 to urge the cup towards the extinguishing position.

We claim:

1. In an oil-fired space heater incorporating a draught inducing chimney, a burner mounted at the base of said draught inducing chimney and including a wick on which a flame burns almost directly, the invention comprising a safety device for putting out the flame if the heater is knocked over, tilted or lifted from the surface on which it is standing, said device including a flame extinguisher in the form of an inverted cup mounted inside said chimney, spring means for moving the extinguishing cup towards the burner with sufficient rapidity to blow out the flame and to bring the extinguishing cup into a final position in which it covers the wick, a stop with which said extinguishing cup in said final position is adapted to engage to prevent said extinguishing cup contacting said wick, latch means for holding said extinguishing cup in an initial position clear of said wick against the action of said spring means, said latch means comprising an arm having a first end and a second end, said arm carrying at said first end said extinguishing cup, means pivotally mounting said arm for at an intermediate point in its length for angular movement about a horizontal axis relative to said chimney, said spring means co-operating with said arm and adapted to move it into a position to move said extinguishing cup towards said final position, a latch member, and a pivotal connection between said latch member and said second end of said arm, said latch member at a position remote from said pivotal connection having a notch adapted to engage with a fixed part adjacent to an opening in said chimney when said extinguishing cup is in said initial position to hold said cup in that position against the action of said spring means, pre-loaded means for releasing said latch member to disengage said notch from said fixed part when the equilibrium of the heater is disturbed, and means restraining said pre-loaded means from releasing said latch means, while the heater is standing normally, said restraining means including a shoe engaging with the surface on which the heater is standing.

2. In an oil-fired space heater incorporating a draught inducing chimney, a burner mounted at the base of said draught inducing chimney and including a wick on which a flame burns almost directly, the invention comprising a safety device for putting out the flame if the heater is knocked over, tilted or lifted from the surface on which it is standing, said device including a pivotal member mounted in said chimney for angular movement about a horizontal axis and comprising a rod having an end shaped to form a pin parallel to said horizontal axis, a flame extinguisher in the form of an inverted cup carried by said pivotal member, spring means for moving said pivotal member about said horizontal axis to move the extinguishing cup towards the burner with suflicient rapidity to blow out the flame and to bring the extinguishing cup into a final position in which it covers the wick, a stop with which said extinguishing cup in said final position is adapted to engage to prevent said extinguishing cup contacting said wick, a spring loaded latch member pivotal to said chimney and formed with a detent with which said rod is adapted to engage to hold said extinguishing cup in an initial position clear of said wick against the action of said spring means, pre-loaded means to withdraw said detent from said pin to allow said extinguishing cup to move to said final position, and means restraining said pre-loaded means from releasing said latch member, while the heater is standing normally, said restraining means including a shoe engaging with the surface on which the heater is standing.

3. In an oil-fired space heater incorporating a draught inducing chimney, a burner mounted at the base of said draught inducing chimney and including a wick on which a flame burns almost directly, the invention comprising a safety device for putting out the flame if the heater is knocked over, tilted, or lifted from the surface on which it is standing, said device including, an arm pivoted about a horizontal axis in the chmney to one side of said burner, a flame extinguisher in the form of an inverted cup carried by said arm, spring means for moving said arm about said horizontal axis to move the extinguishing cup towards the burner with suflicient rapidity to blow out the flame and to bring the extinguishing cup into a final position in which it covers the wick, a stop with Which said extinguishing cup in said final position is adapted to engage to prevent said extinguishing cup contacting said wick, a latch member pivoted about a horizontal axis to said chimney for holding said extinguishing cup in an initial position clear of said wick against the action of said spring means, said latch member having inner and outer ends on opposite sides of said horizontal axis, a spring loading said latch member and adapted to urge the inner end of said latch member upwardly, said inner end of said latch member provided with an upwardly directed detent, a member on said arm adapted to engage said detent when said extinguishing cup is in said initial position to hold said extinguishing cup in that position, pre-loaded means for moving said detent out of engagement with said member to allow said extinguishing cup to move to said final position, and means restraining said preloaded means from releasing said latch member, while the heater is standing normally, said restraining means including a shoe engaging with the surface on which the heater is standing.

4. In an oil-fired space heater incorporating a draught inducing chimney, a burner mounted at the base of said draught inducing chimney and including a wick on which a flame burns almost directly, the invention comprising a safety device for putting out the flame if the heater is knocked over, tilted or lifted from the surface on which it is standing, said device including, an arm pivoted about a horizontal axis in the chimney to one side of said burner, a flame extinguisher in the form of an inverted cup carried by said arm spring means for moving said arm about said horizontal axis to move the extinguishing cup towards the burner with sufficient rapidity to blow out the flame and to bring the extinguishing cup into a final position in which it covers the wick, a stop with which said extinguishing cup in said final position is adapted to engage to prevent said extinguishing cup contacting said wick, a

spring loaded latch member pivoted about a horizontal axis to said chimney for holding said extinguishing cup in an initial position clear of said wick against the action of said spring means, said latch member having inner and outer ends on opposite sides of said horizontal axis, said inner end being adapted to co-operate with said arm when said extinguishing cup is in said initial position to hold said extinguishing cup in that position, pre-loaded means for releasing said latch member including a presser bar in the form of a loop extending in an are around said chimney, and means pivotally mounting said loop to a casing of the heater for movement about a horizontal axis, said presser bar being adapted to be engaged by 5 which the heater is standing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 210,336 11/1878 Koontz 6778 10 3,169,519 2/1965 Aizawa et al 126-96 3,237,678 3/1966 Suma et al. 67-78 X FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN AN OIL-FIRED SPACE HEATER INCORPORATING A DRAUGHT INDUCING CHIMNEY, A BURNER MOUNTED AT THE BASE OF SAID DRAUGHT INDUCING CHIMNEY AND INCLUDING A WICK ON WHICH A FLAME BURNS ALMOST DIRECTLY, THE INVENTION COMPRISING A SAFETY DEVICE FOR PUTTING OUT THE FLAME IF THE HEATER IS KNOCKED OVER, TILTED OR LIFTED FROM THE SURFACE ON WHICH IT IS STANDING, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING A FLAME EXTINGUISHER IN THE FORM OF AN INVERTED CUP MOUNTED INSIDE SAID CHIMNEY, SPRING MEANS FOR MOVING THE EXTINGUISHING CUP TOWARDS THE BURNER WITH SUFFICIENT RAPIDITY TO BLOW OUT THE FLAME AND TO BRING THE EXTINGUISHING CUP INTO A FINAL POSITION IN WHICH IT COVERS THE WICK, A STOP WITH WHICH SAID EXTINGUISHING CUP IN SAID FINAL POSITION IS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE TO PREVENT SAID EXTINGUISHING CUP CONTACTING SAID WICK, LATCH MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID EXTINGUISHING CUP IN AN INITIAL POSITION CLEAR OF SAID WICK AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID SPRING MEANS, SAID LATCH MEANS COMPRISING AN ARM HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, SAID ARM CARRYING AT SAID FIRST END SAID EXTINGUISHING CUP, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID ARM FOR AT AN INTERMEDIATE POINT IN ITS LENGTH FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS RELATIVE TO SAID CHIMNEY, SAID SPRING MEANS CO-OPERATING WITH SAID ARM AND ADAPTED TO MOVE IT INTO A POSITION TO MOVE SAID EXTINGUISHING CUP TOWARDS SAID FINAL POSITION, A LATCH MEMBER, AND A PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID LATCH MEMBER AND SAID SECOND END OF ARM, SAID LATCH MEMBER AT A POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTION HAVING A NOTCH ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH A FIXED PART ADJACENT TO AN OPENING IN SAID CHIMNEY WHEN SAID EXTINGUISHING CUP IS IN SAID INITIAL POSITION TO HOLD SAID CUP IN THAT POSITION AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID SPRING MEANS, PRE-LOADED MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID LATCH MEMBER TO DISENGAGE SAID NOTCH FROM SAID FIXED PART WHEN THE EQUILIBRIUM OF THE HEATER IS DISTURBED, AND MEANS RESTRAINING SAID PRE-LOADED MEANS FROM RELEASING SAID LATCH MEANS, WHILE THE HEATER IS STANDING NORMALLY, SAID RESTRAINING MEANS INCLUDING A SHOE ENGAGING WITH THE SURFACE ON WHICH THE HEATER IS STANDING.