CA2088670A1 - Smoke generator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract The invention concerns a smoke generator for use in bee-keeping, com-prising a container with at least one lower air-inlet channel and an upper air-outlet channel, the container having a detachable, hinged or swivelling lid. In order lo provide better air circulation in the combustion chamber, the inventionproposes that an inner container (14), open at the top, is located in the container (10), the inner container holding the combustion material and extending sub-stantially over the whole height or the interior or the outer container (10). The inner container (14) has air apertures (22, 23) in the floor (16) and in its casing or in at least one Or its sidewalls. Between the inner container casing or side walls and the wall or the outer container (10) is an annular space (18) which islinked to the air-outlet channel (20), as is the interior ( 17) Or the inner container (14).

Description

The present invention relates to a smoke generating device according to the precharacterizing preamble of claim 1.

Smoke senerating devices of this type are employed for burning grasses or similar fuels which generate smoke when burning to permit the apiarist to work more easily with the beehives since ~ees take on nourishment to an increasing degree during the development of smoke.

The primary drawback of the prior art known devices is the supply of fresh, oxygen containing air is insufficient and thus the combustion dies down a short time after the -~terial .o `-e burned bursts in.o flzme. ~crec~er, the [pocr~ circul2tic.n of air 2nd dischzrce of zir from within t.,e container inhibit combustion since .he deve'oping smcke is e>:lr2cteà cnly insu'ficier,tly znd thus, .he co.,ponen.s contained in the smoke conàense and thus increzse the ..,oisture ccn.ent of the air, zgzin smotheri-,s .he ire. ~hus i. is necess2ry for the apiarist to open the smcke generating cevice after tne fire h2s died cown, to e>:chznge the combus-tible m2.eri21 znd newly ignite it.

208~670 In oràer to prevent prer.ature fl2r,e e~.inc.ion it has 21ready been proposed to equip the smo~e generating device a bello-~s, .he actu2-ion of ~hich pu",ps air into the air inlet channels. This is àone to prevent the thre2tening e~t-i-nction of the fl2me or glow. However, insufficient smo~e extraction 2nd poor air circulation cannot be compensated thereby.
Suchlike smoke generating devices are related by the present invention, the devices h2ve a pipe-stem with a mouthpiece at its end in the 2rea of the cover, whereby the pipe-stem hat a nozzle le2ding to the cover interior 2nd cap2ble of leading air blown into it. ~he nozzle is 2djusted so ' that it is directed to the air outlet-channel. After ignition cf the burning materi21 the 2ir stre2m blown into the mouthpiece t2kes gases out of the container interior suction like along with in the manner of a Venturi-tube, which serves for maintaining of the combustion. At any rate it is necessary to blow in air continously to prevent a choking of combustion.

In FR-A-~13 903 there is suggested a smoke generator having a lower air inlet channel an an upper air outlet channel in its container in which an inner container pot is arranged 208~670 for taking up combustion material, the pot extending substantially over the full height of the container interior and limited to the top and to the bottom by grids, whereby an annular chamber is formed between its side wall or the side walls. But even this smoke generator has the drawback that air .

streams passing lateral at the container interior wall can lead to turbulences which hinder a ventilating and exhausting of the interior from smoke originating from the combustion process.

Therefor it is necessary to blow in air into the smoke generator continously to prevent a choking of the combustion.

It is therefor an object of the present invention to, further develop a smoke gas generating device of the above mentioned type so that the air circulation curve in the combustion chamber is improved so as to prevent the combustion process from bein smothered.

This is accomplished by the smoke generating device as defined in claim 1, whose characterizing portion provides that the inner container pot has air-passage-openings in at least one side wall or its cylindrical side wall.

20~670 Suchlike smoke generating devices are related by the present invention, the devices-have a pipe-stem with a mouthpiece at its end in the area of the cover, whereby the pipe-stem haS a nozzle leading to the cover interior and capable of leading air blown into it. The nozzle is adjusted so that it is directed to the air outlet-channel. After ignit~on of the burning material the air stream blown into the mouthpiece takes gases out of the container interior suction like along with in the manner of a Venturi-tube, which serves for maintaining of the combustion. At any rate it is necessary to blow in air continously to prevent a choking of combustion.

It is therefore an object of .he present invention to further develop a smoke gas generating device of the above-mentioned type so that the air circulation curve in the combustion chamber is improved so as to prevent the combus-tion process from being smothered.
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20~670 This is accomplished by the smoke generating device as defined in claim 1 whose characterizing portion provides that an upwardly open inner container pot for accommodating the mat-erial to be burned is disposed in the (outer) container and extends essentially over the entire height of the con-tainer interior. In its bottom as well as at least in one of its side walls or in its cylindrical side wall, this inner container is provided with air passage openings and the space formed between the side wall or side walls and the interior wall of the container for~.s an annular cha~er which is also in com~.unication with the air discharge channel as is the upwardly open inner container pot interior.

The inner pot, in its confisuration and arrangement in the container, initially causes the air flowing in through the air inlet channel to be forcibly guided in the direction of the material to be burned and no turbulence formation occurs due to the streams passing laterally by the interior container wall which would cause the smoke in the combustion ~0~67a chamber to cool resulting in damaging condensation. The air which is "spent" with respect to its oxygen content is able to flow off, according to the invention, directly upwardly as well as in part through the lateral air passage openings into a annular cha~ber which at the top also opens into the air discharqe channel. In this way, there result two ways for the air and smoke to travel in the interior of the container which is structurally divided into at least two chambers.

By ensuring the required air circulation, smo~e development is adapted to requirements and is uniform without choking off combustion A bellows or a continously blowing air into the mouthpiece is at most required to primarily ignite the combustion process, but ~y then be omitted.
_ Similarly, e~cess and undesirable smo~e formation generated essentially by the above-described condensation, is also prevented in the combustion chamber.

' Features of the invention are defined in dependent claims 2 to 16.

20~670 For example, for the sake of structural simplification, the lower region of the container is provided with bead-like bulges which project into the interior and extend annularly over the entire interior cylinder, with the inner container pot removably resting on these bulges. In the simplest case, the bulges are configured as crimp qrooves.lThe air flowing into ~ is able to flow through the air passage openings in the inner container pot bottom, past the material being burned, into the interior cf the inner pot container, the inner air chamber. The outer air chamber is formed annularly ne~t to the inner container cylinder as a space toward the inner container cylinder, with this annular chamber having no direct connection with a possible first chamber below the inner conta_ner pot bottom or with the outside air.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the side wall air passage openings are disposed only in the lower region of the inner pot cylinder, while in the upper region, which is defined by at least one quarter of the structural 2~3$6~
.

height, the side wall or walls are completely closed. In this way, it is ensured that the air flowing into the annular chamber is unable to flow back in the upper region into the second chamber formed by the interior of the inner pot.

Preferably the lower inner pot region provided with the air passage openinqs extends up to a maximum of 50% to preferab-ly one-third of the structural height of the inner pot.

In principle, the configuration of the air passage openings is not limited to a concrete geometry, but it has been found to be favorable - also with respect to manufacture - for the air passage openings to be composed of columns and rows of preferably equidistant bores or slots. The bore diameter of the width is preferably 3 mm to 5 mm. In a corresponding manner, the bottom of the inner container is also provided with bores or slots which are preferably arranged concentrically there.

In order to ensure that the annular chamber between the inner pot cylinder and the inner container cylinder has a constant flow cross section over its entire cross-sectional 208~70 area, the upper end of the inner pot is provided with at least three radially projecting spacers so as to center it in the container. If necessary, these spacers may cooperate with the above-described bulges if the latter, seen from the top, have a certain conicity which likewise centers the lower edge of the inner container pot. In the simplest case, the stated spacers may be configured as a flange on the upper edge or edges of the inner pot.

Preferably, the container and the inner container are configured as cylinders or blocks; however, other polygonal or oval, elongate or round or similar cross-sectional configurations are also permissible.

The annular chamber between the side walls or at least the side wall (for a cylindrical shape) has a cross-sectional width of 5 to 10 % of the inner diameter of the inner container.

Preferably, the container cover has a bell or hemi-spheric shape or it may be conical. The directed outflow of the smoke is realized if the cover is provided with an 20~670 obli~uely upwardly oriented discharge spout. The cover may also be provided with a handle for opening so as to facili-tate folding over of the lid.
. . .. .. . ~v C
~ , , In a first prefered embodiment the smoke generatinglhas a chamber formed by the outer container under the inner container-bottom, the chamber is exept for the air inlet channel and the air passage openinqs substantially airtight, in particular against the annular chamber between the inner container and the outer container.

Alternative hereto this inferior chamber can be omitted, in particular if the cover is povided with a pipe-stem having a nozzle with a mouthpiece at its end and an air-outlet-channel.

Preferably the mentioned nozzle leads to the upper middle area of the cover interior and/or is directed to the air outlet channel. Furthermore an adjustable passage valve can be disposed in the pipe-stem in front of the nozzle. Omitting the said under chamber the inner chamber bottom ends approximately in the area of the under container-bottomedge or slightly above 20~670 it. Furthermore the inner chamber bottom can povide a collar round about, which is connected to the edge of the outer container or lies onto an annular bearing surface being directed to the inside there.

Moreover, the inner pot preferably extends with its upper edge slightly below the plane defined by the closed cover edge so that only a slot-shaped passage opening remains toward the interior of the cover, causing the gases to flow off from the annular chamber through the air discharge channel or the discharge spout, respectively, without there being any danger that the gases reach the interior of the inner pot container.

Preferably, the smoke generating device is configured as a portable hand-held device which has a stirrup-like handle that can also be employed as a hanging device. The smoke generating device even can provide eyes at the outer container ~or fixing of clip-fastenings, snap hooks or the like at a carrying strap.

2~670 A concrete embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing figures.

Fig~re 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of a smoke generat-ing device configured as a piece of hand-held equip-ment; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inner pot.

Figure 3 a schematical cross-sectional view of a further embodiment with a mouth-blow-device, Figure 4a,b in each case variants of the smoke generating device o. Figure 3.

The hand-held device shown in Figure 1 is essentially ' composed of a cylindrical outer container 10 which has a pot shape and has, at its upper edge, an articulated hemispheri-cal cover 12 which is attached by w2y of a hinge or joint 11, thus enabling the pot to be closed at the top. Container 10 is provided with an annular bead groove 13 disposed in its lower region which simultaneously serves as a support for inner container pot 14. In this way, three chambers are created, namely a first, lower chamber 15 which is delimited toward the top by the bottom 16 of the inner container and is sealed (except for the air passase openings to be described below). The second chamber is formed by the interior 17 of the inner container pot, with this interior being formed by the third chamber, the annular chamber 18 between the inner container pot 14 and container 10. Cha~bers 17 and 18 open upwardly into the chamber 19 formed by cover 12, from where the air and the smoke are able to be discharged through the air discharge cnannel, in the present case, discharge spout 20. The lower region of container 16 is provided with one or a plurality of air inlet channels 21 throush which air is able to flow from the outside into chamber 15. Container bottom 16 is provided with concentrically arransed air passage openings 22 which permit transfer of air from chamber 15 to chamber 17. The side ~all of the inner con-tainer pot, configured in the present case as a cylinder, is also provided with air passage openinss 23 in the form of rows and columns of bores that extend in the lower region approximately to half its structural height (see Figure 2).

20~8670 Through these bores 23, air is able to flow radially out on the sides into annular chamber 18.

In order to center the inner container pot 14 in container lO; the former is provided with spacers 24 which radially project from its upper edge 2nd which, in the simplest case, may also be configured as a flange on the upper edge.

~dditionally the smoke generating device shown in Figure 2 is provided with a handle 25 which is given the shape of a s.irrup and can simultaneouslv be em?loyed as a h2nging cevice. Cover 12 is further provided with an opening grip 26. If necessary, the smoke generating device may also be provided with a protective cage 27 which e~tends over its entire circumference, which, however, is essentially unneces-sary because the inner pot cylinder already shields container lO against the heat generated by the combustion . Moreover, a prior art bellows (not shown) may be mounted on container lO or on cage 27.

In a concrete embodiment, the hand-held device has a structural height of about 20 cm, with the diameter of the 208~670 outer container being about 7 to 8 cm. The diameter of the inner pot is about 1 cm smaller.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the smoke generating device with a mouth-~low-device. The smoke generating device has a pot-like shaped container 28, at its upper outer casing area an outer thread or a respective aperture of a bayonet-joint. The inner thread or the noses as a part of the said bayonet-joint of the cover 30 engages hereto, the cover 30 being connected disengagably from the container 28 respectively its connection 29. At the lower edge the outer container has a crimp 31 as a connection to the corresponding annular collar 32 being connected to the bottom 16 of the inner pot 14 respectively its under casing-edge. Compared with the level formed by the crimp the bottom 16 is staggered slightly to the inside.

The cover 30 provides two tube-like projections 33 and 34 whose longitudinal axis lie on a straight line 35. A pipe-stem 36 is sticked in the projection 33, the pipe-stem 36 2a88~70 having a mouthpiece 37 at its free end. The pipe-stem is in the shown example U-shape formed with an angular piece annexed thereto, it can be even formed in other ways known from pipes.

An adjustable valve 38 is provided in the pipe-stem 36, the valve canbe made in the easiest case of a srew fixed in a corresponding thread, the srew projecting into the passage channel of the pipe-stem. In the area of the projection 33 the pipe-passage-channel is formed as a nozzle 44.

Blowing air in the cover interior through the mouth-piece, the air drags gases along with which are in the interior 17 and the annular chamber 18 so that the gases are lead off over the outlet 34. For the rest the construction corresponds to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 exept the under chamber 15 omitting here.

The outer- and inner container 39 and 40 shown in Fig.

4a, b are built up in principle in the way as described to Fig.~ 3. Different thereto is only the respective bottom construction. So the outer container 39 has an own annular 20~70 bottom 41 staggered to the inside, the bottom 41 ends in the direction to the longitudinal axis a vertical ring-edge 42. The inner pot 40 has an annular lower bearing edge 43 which is set upon the rins~bottom 41. The projecting spacers can be formed for example as devices for the purpose of hooking in corresponding groovers or the like, too.

Claims (22)

1. A smoke generating device for use in apiaries, the device comprising a container (10) having at least one lower air inlet channel (21) and an upper air discharge channel (20) as well as a foldable cover or a pivotal opening flap, and an inner container pot (14) for accommodating the material to be burned is disposed in the container (10) and extends essentially over the entire height of the container interior, said inner container being provided with air passage openings in its bottom (16) and an annular chamber (18) is formed between the side wall or side walls and the inner wall of the container, with said further annular chamber [being] in communication with the air discharge channel (20) as is the upwardly open interior (17) of the inner container pot, characterized in that the inner container pot (14) has air passage openings (22, 23) in at least one side wall or in its cylindrical side wall.

2. A smoke generating device as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower region of the container (10) is provided with crimp-like bulges (13) which project into the interior and extend annularly over the entire inner cylinder, with the inner container pot (14) resting removably on said bulges.

3. A smoke generating device as defined in claim 2, wherein the bulges are configured as a bead groove (13).

4. A smoke generating device 25 defined in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the air passage openings (23) in the side wall or side walls are disposed in the lower region of the inner pot cylinder and, in the upper region defined by at least one quarter of the structural height, the side wall or walls are closed over their full surface area.

5. A smoke generating device 25 defined in claim 4, wherein the lower region extends to a maximum of 50%, preferably one third, of the structural height of the inner pot (14).

6. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the air passage openings are composed of columns and rows of preferably equidistant bores or slots.

7. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inner container bottom (16) is provided with concentrically arranged, preferably equidistant bores (22) or slits.

8. A smoke generating device as defined in claim 6 or 7, wherein the bore diameter or the slot width is 3 mm to 5 mm.

9. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the inner pot (14) is provided at its upper end with at least three radially projecting spacers (24) so as to center it in the container (10).

10. A smoke generating device as defined in claim 9, wherein the spacers (24) are configured as a flange around the upper edge.

11. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the container (10) and the inner container pot (14) are essentially cylindrical or block shaped.

12. A smoke generating device as defined in claim 11, wherein the annular chamber (18) disposed between the side walls or the side wall has a cross-sectional width of 5 to 10% of the inner diameter of the inner container pot (14).

13. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the container (10) is closed at the top by 2 bell-shaped or hemispherical or conical cover (12,

14. A smoke generating device as defined in claim 13 wherein the cover includes an upwardly oriented discharge spout and/or a handle for opening it.

15. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the upper edge of the inner pot (14) ends slightly below the plane defined by the edge of the closed cover.

16. Smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the cover (30) is provided with a pipe-stem (36) having a nozzle (44) and a mouth-piece (37) at its end and an air-outlet-channel (34).

17. Smoke generating device as defined in claim 16, characterized in that the nozzle leads to the upper middle area of the cover interior and/or is directed to the air outlet channel (34).

18. Smoke generating device as defined in claim 16 or 17, characterized in that an adjustable passage valve (38) is disposed in the pipe-stem (36) in front of the nozzle.

7.

19. Smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the inner chamber bottom (16) ends approximately in the area of the under container bottom edge.

20. Smoke generating device as defined in claim 19, characterized in that the inner chamber bottom has a collar (32) round about, which is connected to the edge of the outer container or lies onto an annular bearing surface being directed to the inside there.

21. Smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the upper edge of the inner pot (14) ends slightly under the level formed by the closed coverrim.

22. A smoke generating device as defined in one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that it is configured as a portable hand-held device and/or is provided with a stirrup-like handle (25) which is preferably configured as a hanging