CA2164888A1

CA2164888A1 - Engine heater

Info

Publication number: CA2164888A1
Application number: CA002164888A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Robert J. Friesen; Gary E. Klassen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: DE-IN INDUSTRIES Ltd
Priority date: 1994-12-09
Filing date: 1995-12-11
Publication date: 1996-06-10

Abstract

An engine heater has a coil within a housing, the coil having a plurality of coil sections. A pump is connected to the coil and hoses having quick connect couplings are attached thereto. The hoses are connected to quick connectcouplings extending from the water jacket of an engine. The antifreeze-water mixture of the engine is pumped through the coil. A propane torch is played through an opening in the housing on the coil and heats the mixture as it passesthrough the coil. The water is returned to the engine and thereby heats it.

Description

ENGINE HEATER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an engine heater and, more particularly, to an engine heater which is polld~le and simple to operate in nature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to mqint~in en~inf-s in a waluled con~iti~ where the ten~pf ,atures are low, the e~ fs may be kept ,u.,nillg which is both an inf ffil~iPnt use of fuel and e.../ilol....~ lly ~"r.;cn~lly. Thus, an engine heater is often used to ehedt the engine before actual use. In one engine heater, a series of tubes extend tl~ ugl~ a water jacket and a pump is cc~ f~led bct~en the water jacket and the lS engine to be heated. Quick cOI.~ l cou~ rs are coupled together and a pump isO~x~àtcd to pump the antir ~2e-water -.i~lu-~, of the engine through the water jacket of the heater, the cold mixture e nteling the bottom of the water jacket. A
p,opal.~ torch heats the bottom of the water jacket and the vertical tubes pqeSin~
through the water jacket.
This apparatus, however, suffers limi~tinne. The use of vertical tubes in the water jacket with the torch heating only the lower portion of the vertical tubes ~iCI~tf S a relatively large and inefficient heater. Since portability and err.ci~,lt operation are important considerations, the previous apparatus was 25 unattractive in several ..,s~ccts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accor~ to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an 30 engine heater co~ ising a coil to allow the passage of a liquid mixture th~ hlough, a ho!lsjng su-lo~n~ e said coil, said coil having an inlet and an outlet, a circul~tion pump operable to pump said liquid mixture through said coil, 2 ~ 64888 a pair of hoses extending from said coil one of said pair of hoses being an inlet hose for said coil the other of said pair of hoses being an outlet hose for said coil said inlet and outlet hoses being operable to be conn~ct~l to and disconnected from the inlet and outlet of a radiator of an engine and an opening in said housing 5 operable to accomodate a heater to heat said coil.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of heating an a,llif~ee~e-water mixture of an engine co",~,ising con-~cli,~g an outlet of an engine water jacket to an inlet to a coil conn~-cting an inlet of said 10 engine water jacket to an to an outlet of said coil ~uunphlg said mixture from saia water jacket to said coil and passing said mixture through said coil while heating said coil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with the use of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagl~ tir- view of a first embodiment of the the 20 engine heater acco,Ji,lg to the invention in ope,ati~lg configuration and conn-octed with an engine; and Figure 2 is a dia~ ic view of a second embodiment of the engine heater according to a further aspect of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings an engine heater is generally illu~llated at lO in Figure 1. It co",p,ises a housing or heat exchanger ll with a 30 circular and ext~.n-l~d steel coil 12 therein. An opening 13 is provided in the housing 11 to al10w access for a heater conveniently a propane torch 14.

A pump 20 is ~tt~ch~d to the housing 11. The inlet 21 of the pump 20 is co.~ cte-l to the outlet 22 of the coil 12. Each of the plurality of circular sections or coils of coil 12 are in contact with each other. The outlet 23 of pump 20 is co~ cl~A to a first hose 24 which is flexible and has a quick connect coupler 30 ~tt,^^h~ to the distant end.

A second hose 31 is connrcted to the inlet 32 of the coil 12.
Second hose 31 likewise has a quick co~ ec~ coupler 32 co~-~-r~;le~l to one end thereof.
An engine of the usual type, being either gas or diesel, is generally illustrated at 33. It has a water jacket (not shown) within which water is circulated th.,l~,lhlough for cooling purposes as is known by water pump 34. The heated water leaves the water jacket of engine 33 through top Mdiator hose 40 which enters the top of radiator 41. As the water circulates through the radiator 41, it cools and leaves the radiator 41 through bottom hose 42 thereby l~,ellteli"g thewater jacket of engine 33.

Two coupling hoses 43, 44 are conl~ ed to top and bottom radiator hoses 40, 42, respectively. The coupling hoses 43, 44 each have quick connect couplel~ 50, 51, respectively, mounted thereto, for att~rhmrnt to couplers 30, 32 of first and second hoses 24, 31, l~s~ecli~ely.

Pump 20 is electric and of the twelve (12) volt D.C. type. Thus, it can be powered by the battery 52 of the vehicle within which the engine 33 is mounted. Leads 53 extend from the pump 20 and are connected to the battery 52.

OPERATION

In operation, it will be ~ mrd that the engine 33 has been shut down for an exten-led period and that it is desired to preheat the engine prior to starting its operation.

2~ 64888 -The portable engine heater 10 is positioned near the engine 33 and first and second hoses 24, 31 will extend therefio~ll. The quick connect couplers 30, 32 will be co.-nP-ct~d to the quick connect couplers 40, 51 of coupling hoses 43, 44, respectively. The leads 53 will be conn~cted to the ~rmin~l~ of battery 52 S and the pump 20 will co"..~.rnre its operation.

A ~l~a"e torch 14 is placed in position by the opening 13 of the housillg 11 and it will be lit so that the kane plays on the coil 12.

The a"lirl~e-water ~lPi~lule in the water jacket of the engine 33 will be ~ cd into the coil 12 through hose 31 and the mixture will be heated by the coil 12 as it passes the.cll~ough by the propane torch 14. The heated mixture will leave the coil 12, pass through pump 20 and out through hose 24. The heatedmixture will enter the coupling hose 43 and pass into the water jacket of the engine 33 where it will heat the engine 33. The process will continue until the engine 33 l~aches its desired tem~e,~ule.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 2.
This embodimrnt is similar to the embo~lim~nt of Figure 1 but the coil 60 is mounted within housing 61 such that it ~csnmrs an inclined or sllhst~nti~lly horizontal configuration when it is positioned in operating condition. The opening 70 in houcin~ 61 is in the bottom of the housing 61 and the ~),opane torch 64 ismounted so that the flame from the torch 64 plays on the bottom of the coil 60.
The housing 61 also has a handle 62 which allows the unit to be easily carried. A
support 63 extPn~l~ downwardly from the housing 61 and the pump 71 is located beneath the housing 61 in its operating configuration. The embodiment according to the Figure 2 configuration is smaller and more compact such that portability is enh~nred .

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, such description should be taken as an example of the invention only and not as limiting its scope as defined in accordance with the accomr)~nying claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An engine heater comprising a coil to allow the passage of a liquid mixture therethrough, a housing surrounding said coil, said coil having an inlet and an outlet, a circulation pump operable to pump said liquid mixture through said coil, a pair of hoses extending from said coil, one of said pair of hoses being an inlet hose for said coil, the other of said pair of hoses being an outlet hose for said coil, said inlet and outlet hoses being operable to be connected to and disconnected from the inlet and outlet hoses of a radiator of an engine and an opening in said housing operable to accomodate a heater to heat said coil.

2. An engine heater as in claim 1 wherein said housing has an opening adjacent said coil and a heater extending through said opening, said heater being operable to heat said coil.

3. An engine heater as in claim 2 wherein said heater is a propane torch.

4. An engine heater as in claim 2 wherein said circulation pump is connected to the outlet of said coil.

5. An engine heater as in claim 3 wherein said circulation pump is an electric D.C. pump.

6. An engine heater as in claim 1 wherein said coil is placed in an inclined position relative to said ground in said operating configuration.

7. An engine heater as in claim 1 wherein said coil is positioned substantially horizontally in said operating configuration.

8. An engine heater as in claim 5 wherein said housing has an opening in the bottom of said housing and said heater heats the bottom ones of the sections of said coil.

9. A method of heating an antifreeze-water mixture of an engine comprising connecting an outlet of an engine water jacket to an inlet to a coil, connecting an inlet of said engine water jacket to an to an outlet of said coil, pumping said mixture from said water jacket to said coil and passing said mixture through said coil while heating said coil.

10. A method as in claim 8 and further comprising powering said pump by D.C. electricity.

11. A method as in claim 9 and further comprising heating said coil with a propane torch.