US1081463A

US1081463A - Apparatus for generating steam.

Info

Publication number: US1081463A
Application number: US75447113A
Authority: US
Inventors: James B Pentz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1913-03-15
Filing date: 1913-03-15
Publication date: 1913-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1930-12-16

Description

J. B. PENTZ.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING STEAM.

' APPLICATION FILED MAB.15, 1913.

1,081,463. Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 0mm.

JAMES B. PEN'IZ, or New YORK, N. Y. arrmrus' ron GENERATING srmu.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed larch 15, 1913, Serial No. 754,471.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. PENTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the borough and county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Steam, of which the following is a full, clear; and exact description.

This invention relates to the generation of steam, and its chief object is toprovide an improved apparatus whereby the steam may be produced practically instantaneously whenever steam is needed for the purpose in hand without keeping the apparatus hot, with consequent Waste of heat, when the steam is not needed.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for generating steam in which the steam can also be superheated as fast as it is produced, the .superheatin'g being particularly useful when the steam is used for such purposes as sterilizing surgical instruments,

eating solvents and mixtures in the laboratory, etc.

To these and other ends the invention consists'inthe novel features and combinations of elements hereinafter described.

A convenient and eflective embodiment of the invention as designed for-sterilizing surgical instruments, more especially instruments used by surgeon dentists, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows the complete device partly invertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan vlew. I

In the form shown, the device comprises a block 10- of any suitable" material, for example an asbestos composition, which should not only be water-proof and insulating both to electricity and to heat but should also be refractory enough to stand a temperature of several hundred degrees Fahrenheit'without damage. The block is inclosed, at least around its sides, in a. sheet metal shell 11; and is spaced from the walls thereof by metal strips 12. 4 If desired, the space be tween the block or body 10 and the shell 11 may be packed, as indicated at 13, with suitable heat-insulating material.

In a block or body 10 is \a chamber or canal 14, shaped substantially like a broad U, having a horizontally arranged portion 15 and. two upwardly extending or

vertical P portions

16, 17 ,rising from'the ends of the horizontal, portion. Arranged --in this chamber or cana is a bare resistance wire 18, pref erably wound in helical form with turns or Patented Dec. 16, 1913-.

coils of about the same diameter as the' chamber so that the. friction of the wire on i the chamber walls will tend to keep the coils properly spaced apart. The ends of the bare resistance wire are electrically connected to a pair of

insulated terminals

19, 20, for convenient connection with any suitable source of current, not shown.

1 Atabout its center the block or body 10 is provided with a vertical passage 21, opening at its lower end into the horizontal portion 15 ofthe heating chamber 14. At the top of the passage is a hollow fitting 22, mounted rigidly on the body 10 in any convenient manner, supporting a reservoir 23 to contain the water or other liquid which is to be evaporated. In the form shown the reservoir comprises a glass cylinder 24 closed by a metal bottom 25 and a metal top 26, the latter provided with a depending nozzle 27 screwed into the fitting 22 and having an outlet orifice 28. Extending upwardly from the bot-tom 25, and in register with the nozzle 27, is a tubular stem 29 having a threaded top on which the cap 26 is screwed down upon the glass cylinder 24 to hold the same firmly in position. Above the cap 26 is a lock-nut 30, and on top of the stem 29 is a corrugated collar 31 threaded on the stem and hence vertically adjustable thereon. To

hold the collar in adjusted position by preventing accidental turning a spring 32 is provided, mounted on a collar 33 above the lock-nut 30 and bearing on the roughened periphery of the collar 31. In the cap 26 is an air vent 34.

The reservoir 23 being filled with water (through an orifice provided with a removable closure 35) it is apparent that the water will flow throughthe openings 36 into the tubular stem 29 and thence out through noz'zle27, orifice 28', and fitting 22, into the passage 21. To control the flow of water a needle valve 37 is provided, cooperating with the orifice 28. This valve extends up through the tubular stem 29 and at its top is provided with a manually operated cam lever 38. When the lever is horizontal, as shown, the needle valve is depressed against its seat by a coil spring 39 encircling-the valve between a stop 40 fixed. tothe valve and astopl fixe to the tubular stem orduct29; but when t e lever israised to ver tieal position the valve is raised, and the orifice 28 is opened. It is apparent that the distance the valve is raised, and hence the rate of outflow through the orifice 28, depends upon the position of the adjustable collar 31. If the collar is screwed down the lift of the valve will be diminishedand the effective area of the outlet orifice diminished, While raising the said collar results in giving the valve a greater lift when the lever 38 is raised, with corresponding increase in the rate of outflow. Preferably the size of the orifice is such that even when opened to its greatest capacity the water will issue in drops. Then adjustment of the collar 31 merely varies the number of drops (11S- charged per unit of time. The drops issuing from the orifice 28 at a suitable rate fall through the passage 21 and u on the horizontal portion of the highly eated resistance 18 in the horizontal portion of the chamber and are instantly vapor1zed.. The

vapor or steam rises through on result v v f- 1 4 nclfi rg'nn or the other or com passa es a co o.

one or the other or me: her is olonv and in passing the intensely not porno: the resistance wire in said oass 'es 1s ti heated,

that is, supeiu ea Z 2:) while the steam or vapor rises and is superheated as before. Under such circumstances the behavior of the device, particularly the boiling of any appreciable quantity of water in the vaporizing chamber, will quickly warn the operator that the water supply is too fast.

The steam being generated instantly, and

superheated practically simultaneously, it is apparent that it is not necessary to keep the device in operation except during the brief periods required for sterilization, the mere closing of a switch in the circuit to which the resistance is connected and the opening of the water-supply valve'being sufiicient to set the device in operation. Current is therefore used only when needed. Another important advantage is that in sterilizing it 1s almost if not quite impossible to heat of an instrument into a gas or alcohol flame the temper is frequently njured, and in fact the temper is very apt to be destroyed if the operators attention is distracted.

Extended practical use of the device described has demonstrated its practicability and efliciency, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described, and is not confined to'use for sterilizing purposes.

What I claim is: 4 1. In an apparatus for generating steam, in combination, a body of refractory and insulating material having a vaporizing chamber and a superheating chamber connected with the former chamber and provided with an outlet, means for heating both chambers, and means for supplying water to the vapori ng chamber drop by drop.

. an apparatus for generatbg steam,

coir A body of ry and l havin porizmg ingcliamhaving water in l and revaporizing a superheating chamber con nected ther with and provided with an outlet, elect c heating means in the chambers, adapted "for connection with a source of current, means for delivering water to the heating means in the vaporizing chamber.

1. In an apparatus for generating steam, in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having a substantially horizontal. vaporizing chamber and a vertical superheating chamber connected therewith and provided with an outlet, electric heating means in the chambers, adapted for connection with a source of current, a water reservoir connected with the vaporizing chamber to supply water thereto, and means for controlling the rate of water'supply.

"5. In an apparatus forgenerating steam, in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having an open-topped U- shaped chamber, a resistance element in the horizontal and vertical portions of the chamber, adapted to be connected with a source of current, and means for supplying water to the horizontal portion of said chamher.

6. In an apparatus for generating steam, in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having an open-topped U- shaped chamber, and a passa e leading to the horizontal portion of the c amber, a resistance element arranged in the horizontal and vertical portions of the chamber, and a water reservoir mounted on said body above the said passage to supply water thereto.

7. In an apparatus for generating steam, in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having a vaporizing chamber and a superheating chamber connected therewith and provided with an outlet, a resistance wire arranged in helical form in said chambers, means for connecting the resistance wire with a source of current, and means for supplying water to the vaporizing chamber.

8. In an apparatus for generating steam, in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having a U-shaped chamber, means for heating the horizontal and vertical portions of the chamber, and

means for supplying water to the horizontal portion of the chamber.

9. In an apparatus for generating steam, in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having a horizontal vaporizing chamber and an open-topped vertical superheating chamber and connected with the former to receive'steam therefrom, means for heating both chambers, and means for supplying water to the vaporizing chamer. 10. A device for sterilizing surgical instruments, comprising in combination, a body of refractory and insulating material having a vaporizing chamber and a superheating chamber connected with the former and provided with an outlet for directing superheated steam upon an instrument to be sterilized, means for heating both chambers simultaneously, and means for delivering water to the vaporizing chamber in regulated amount.

11. A device for sterilizing surgical instruments, comprising in combination, a,

body of insulating and refractory material having a horizontal vaporizing chamber and an open topped vertical superheating chamber connected at its lower end with the former, means for supporting an instrument in the path of the steam issuing from the superheatin chamber, means for heating both chain ers simultaneously, and a water reservoir carried by said body and connected with the vaporizing chamber to deliver Water thereto drop by drop.

12. A device for heating articles by steam, comprising in combination, a body of insulating and refractory material having a U-shaped chamber into the legs of which the articles to be heated may be inserted, and having also a fluid supply passage opening into the chamber between the legs thereof; and means for heating the'chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES B. PENTZ.

Witnesses:

M. LAWSON DYER, S. S. DUNHA'M.