GB1572446A - Water heating storage vessel - Google Patents

Description

(54) WATER HEATING STORAGE VESSEL (71) We, UTTLEY INGHAM (COP PER CYLINDERS) LIMITED, a British Company of Windsor Works, Victoria Road, Hebden Bridge. Yorkshire HX7 8LN do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to water heating storage vessels of the kind intended for domestic and other uses wherein an outer vessel or cylinder houses a heat exchanger for coupling to a boiler or other heating member, whereby water contained in the outer vessel may be heated by transfer of heat from said heat exchanger.

It has previously been proposed to provide such a water heating storage vessel, see for example United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 1,099,233 which discloses and claims a double-walled primary heater whose upper end is furnished with a first air-lock device, a lower portion of said primary heater including a second airlock device incorporated at the upper end of water flow means between the primary and secondary circuits of the vessel and preventing flow of water from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit during initial filling of the vessel, said water flow means and second air-lock device being located outside the confines of said primary heater, said water flow means associated with the primary heater consisting of a hollow chamber having a closed top and an open bottom and divided by a partition into an upper and a lower chamber with an upright pipe passing through the partition which pipe has open bottom and top ends with the latter above the level of an opening or aperture formed in the water flow means, the said opening communicating between the aforesaid upper chamber and the hollow chamber or water jacket of the primary heater.

Whilst the above-described water vessel -has proved eminently satisfactory in use it is difficult and expensive to manufacture.

Because if the complexity of construction the heater exchanger is of annular construction - the vessel is manufactured primarily by hand which tends to increase the cost.

The invention therefore seeks to provide an improved form of water heating storage vessel which will obviate the above and other disadvantages.

According to the present invention, there is provided a water heating storage vessel including a coil primary heater having near its upper extremity a first air-lock device, said primary heater being connected to water flow means between primary and secondary circuits of the vessel said water flow means including a second air-lock device at its upper end and being adapted to prevent flow of water from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit during initial filling of the vessel, said water flow means and said second airlock being located within the confines of said primary heater.Said water flow means associated with the primary heater consists of a hollow chamber having a closed top and an open bottom and being divided by a partition with a pipe passing through the partition, the upper open end of the pipe being above the level of a connection point between the water flow means and the primary heater.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a view of the inside of a water heating storage vessel according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, an outer water storage vessel 2 is provided with a closed top 4 and a closed bottom 6 which are outwardly and inwardly domed respectively. The top of the said vessel 2 is formed with a pipe connection 8 and near the base of the wall of the vessel there is provided a mains water inlet 10. The other connections 12 and 14 are also formed in the vessel wall, such connections being spaced vertically and being intended for connection to a boiler (not shown).

Connected to the connections 12 and 14 is heat-exchanger member which comprises a copper coil 16. The heat exchanger 16 includes an inverted U-tube 18 having a bell end 20, the tube including a bridge 22 which constricts the diameter of the tube 18 so as to prevent water flowing past this bridge upon expansion of water in the coil 16 but which permits air to pass the bridge so as to release pressure. The air escapes through the bell end 20. Thus a first air lock is provided.

A second air lock is provided in water flow means indicated generally by reference numeral 24. The water flow means 24, which is connected to the coil 16 through a connection 26, is of tubular construction whose upper end 28 is closed and whose lower end is open. The tube is divided by a partition 30 into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a pipe 32 attached to the partition 30 connecting the two chambers. The upper end of the pipe 32 terminates close the closed upper end of the tube and above the level of the connection 26. The water flow means, as will be seen from the drawling, lies wholly within the confines of the coil 16 due to the inherent formation of said coil.

When water is initially admitted into the vessel 2 through inlet 10, the water will rise to a predetermined height, and in doing so, the water will simultaneously flow up the tube of water flow means 24, via the pipe 32 and into the coil 16 through connection 26 from where it passes to the boiler (not shown) after which the water is circulated through the coil and by heat transference the water in the vessel is heated.

During the initial filling of the vessel a quantity of air is forced up the pipe 32 into the upper chamber of the water flow means 24 which air serves as an air-lock to prevent water from the primary circuit (i.e. in the coil 16) passing back into the secondary circuit i.e. the vessel 2. Similarly, when the water in the coil 16 is heated by the primary heater, the water will expand up the tube 18. The tube 18 is of such a length and diameter between its point of connection to the coil 16 and the position of the bridge that water will not pass beyond the bridge, but air is allowed to pass said bridge so forming an air lock to prevent water in the vessel 2 flowing through the tube 18 and back into the coil 16.

With a hot water storage vessel according to the invention, the manufacturing time and costs are considerably reduced owing to the fact that the coil is machine wrapped as opposed to an annular heater being principally hand formed.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A water heating storage vessel including a coil primary heater having near its upper extremity a first air-Iock device, said primary heater being connected to water flow means between primary and secondary circuits of the vessel said water flow means including a second air-lock device at its upper end and being adapted to prevent flow of .water from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit during initial filling of the vessel, said water flow means and said second air lock being located within the confines of said primary heater.

2. A water heating storage vessel according to Claim 1, wherein said water flow means associated with the primary heater consists of a hollow chamber having a closed top and an open bottom and being divided by a partition with a pipe passing through the partition, the upper open end of the pipe being above the level of a connection point between the water flow means and the primary heater.

3. A water heating storage vessel according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said first air lock is formed in an inverted U-tube connected to the coil primary heater.

4. A water heating storage vessel according to claim 3, wherein said first air lock consists of a bridge in said inverted U-tube.

5. A water heating storage vessel according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein said pipe forms the second air lock.

6. A water heating storage vessel substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. vessel there is provided a mains water inlet 10. The other connections 12 and 14 are also formed in the vessel wall, such connections being spaced vertically and being intended for connection to a boiler (not shown). Connected to the connections 12 and 14 is heat-exchanger member which comprises a copper coil 16. The heat exchanger 16 includes an inverted U-tube 18 having a bell end 20, the tube including a bridge 22 which constricts the diameter of the tube 18 so as to prevent water flowing past this bridge upon expansion of water in the coil 16 but which permits air to pass the bridge so as to release pressure. The air escapes through the bell end 20. Thus a first air lock is provided. A second air lock is provided in water flow means indicated generally by reference numeral 24. The water flow means 24, which is connected to the coil 16 through a connection 26, is of tubular construction whose upper end 28 is closed and whose lower end is open. The tube is divided by a partition 30 into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a pipe 32 attached to the partition 30 connecting the two chambers. The upper end of the pipe 32 terminates close the closed upper end of the tube and above the level of the connection 26. The water flow means, as will be seen from the drawling, lies wholly within the confines of the coil 16 due to the inherent formation of said coil. When water is initially admitted into the vessel 2 through inlet 10, the water will rise to a predetermined height, and in doing so, the water will simultaneously flow up the tube of water flow means 24, via the pipe 32 and into the coil 16 through connection 26 from where it passes to the boiler (not shown) after which the water is circulated through the coil and by heat transference the water in the vessel is heated. During the initial filling of the vessel a quantity of air is forced up the pipe 32 into the upper chamber of the water flow means 24 which air serves as an air-lock to prevent water from the primary circuit (i.e. in the coil 16) passing back into the secondary circuit i.e. the vessel 2. Similarly, when the water in the coil 16 is heated by the primary heater, the water will expand up the tube 18. The tube 18 is of such a length and diameter between its point of connection to the coil 16 and the position of the bridge that water will not pass beyond the bridge, but air is allowed to pass said bridge so forming an air lock to prevent water in the vessel 2 flowing through the tube 18 and back into the coil 16. With a hot water storage vessel according to the invention, the manufacturing time and costs are considerably reduced owing to the fact that the coil is machine wrapped as opposed to an annular heater being principally hand formed. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A water heating storage vessel including a coil primary heater having near its upper extremity a first air-Iock device, said primary heater being connected to water flow means between primary and secondary circuits of the vessel said water flow means including a second air-lock device at its upper end and being adapted to prevent flow of .water from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit during initial filling of the vessel, said water flow means and said second air lock being located within the confines of said primary heater.

2. A water heating storage vessel according to Claim 1, wherein said water flow means associated with the primary heater consists of a hollow chamber having a closed top and an open bottom and being divided by a partition with a pipe passing through the partition, the upper open end of the pipe being above the level of a connection point between the water flow means and the primary heater.

3. A water heating storage vessel according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said first air lock is formed in an inverted U-tube connected to the coil primary heater.

4. A water heating storage vessel according to claim 3, wherein said first air lock consists of a bridge in said inverted U-tube.

5. A water heating storage vessel according to any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein said pipe forms the second air lock.

6. A water heating storage vessel substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.