US1297363A - Heat and power producing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. D. KNEEDLER.

HEAT AND POWER PRODUCING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1917.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

m 5 M w a M a a m: NORRIS Pz'rsis ca. wowumo" wlsymamm n. c.

UNITED s'rATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. KNEEDLER, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA, AS'SIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BUEL COUCH,

OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

- HEAT AND POWER PRODUCING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1919.

Application filed March 3, 1917. Serial No; 152,397.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. KNEEDLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heat and Power Producing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a heat and power producing apparatus and has for its principal object to provide a device of this character whereby any desired amount of heat and power may be produced and subsequently utilized, as desired, for heating purposes and for power purposes, such as driving engines and the like.

Another object of the invention is to introduce compressed air into an expansion chamber and to provide electrical means for expanding the compressed air within the expansion chamber.

A further object is to provide a series of heating coils designed to be arranged within the expansion chamber, suitable electrical means being connected in circuit with these coils, whereby the compressed air within the expansion chamber may be expanded to any desired degree of pressure.

A still further object'of the invention is to pass the compressed air through a cooling or condensation chamber before it is introduced into the expansion chamber.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved heat and power producing apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the expansion chamber with the cover plate removed, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference are used to denote like parts throughout the following description and the accompanying drawmgs.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates an expansion chamber, which in this instance is of circular formation and 1s provided at lts opposite side edges with circumferential flanges 2 and 3, respectively.

- Arranged concentrically within the expansion chamber 1 is a sleeve 4 that is securely attached to the rear wall 5 of the expansion chamber and has its opposite end closed by a cover plate 6, this plate being secured to the sleeve by screws 7 Positioned within the expansion chamber between the sleeve 4 and the inner wall of the chamber 1 are a plurality of heat radiating coils 8, and each is shown to consist of a stud 9 that is threaded into the rear wall 5, a suitable insulating sleeve 10 being mounted thereon and securely held in position by retaining nuts 11. A conductor wire 12-is successively wound around each of the insulating sleeves 10 to produce a series of heating coils by which any desired amount of heat may be produced within the expansion chamber.

As shown, the expansion chamber is provided with a suitable supporting base 13 and is provided at the top with a head portion 11 that is provided with a transversely extending recess 15. A head block 16 is mounted upon the head portion 1 1 between the side flanges 2 and 3 and is securely held in position through the medium of a pair of studs 17, each of which is provided intermediate its ends with a collar 18 that is designed to bear upon an insulating washer 19. Each of the studs 17 is positioned within insulating sleeves 20 and 21 that are positioned within the head block and the head portion respectively. Each end of each stud is provided with a pair of nuts 22 whereby the terminal ends of the conductor wires 12 and 23 may be connected thereto. The conductor wire 23 leads to a. suitable source of current 24 and is designed to be controlled by a suitable switch 25 interposed between the battery and the heating coils. A variable current producing device or rheostat 26 is also connected in circuit with the controlling switch, whereby the heat radiating coils may Ilie caused to radiate any desired amount of eat. 7

A The 'head portion 14 of the expansion registers with a similar opening 29 inthe head block 16, and threadedly connected to the head block is an air inlet pipe 30 by which air can be conveyed from a suitable source into the expansion chamber.

Mounted upon the outside of the rear wall 5 is a double acting air compressor 31 that is provided on its opposite sides with controlling valves 32, each of which has connected to it an inlet pipe 33 provided with an inwardly opening check valve 34. Each of the valves 32 is connected to a conduit pipe 35 which in turn is connected to an air tank 36, check valves 37 being provided at the opposite end of each valve 32 toprevent air that has been once pumped into the air tank from escaping.

The air tank 36 has connected to it a conveyerpipe 38 in which is arranged a check valve 39, thi pipe being connected to" an air cooling and condensation chamber 40, which in turn is connected to the expansion chamber through the medium of the conduit pipe 30, and arranged within this pipe 30 is a suitable controlling valve 41. The air cooling chamber 40 is provided with a pressure gage 42 whereby the pressure of the air within the tank 36 may be readily seen at all times.

The expansion chamber is also provided with a pressure gage 43 by which the pressure of the air within the expansion chamber may be seen.

Arranged over the open side of the expansion chamber is a cover plate 44 that rests upon a suitable gasket 45 and is securely held in position by bolts 46, this cover plate forming an air-tight connect-ion between the innersleeve 4- and the outer wall of the chamber.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that air is first compressed within the air tank 36 and then conveyed through A the cooling chamber 40 to the expansion Copies of this patent may be obtained for chamber where it is expanded through the medium of the electrical heating coils to any desired degree, these coils not only expanding the compressed air to a greater expansible force but also heating it the desired amount. As soon as the air has been heated and expanded to the desired degree of heat and pressure, it is exhausted from the expansion chamber through an exhaust port 47 to be subsequently used for driving an engineor for other power purposes, and also to be used for any desired heating purposes.

In the operation of the apparatus the air is unavoidably heated and expanded as it is pumped into the tank 36 by the action of the compressor. In order torestore the expansive force to the air prior to entering the expansion chamber, it is found desirable and necessary to cool the air to substantially a freezing point. When the cold air enters the expansion chamber and strikes the heat- 1. A heat and power producing apparatus of the class described comprising an expansion chamberya core mountedwithin the expansion chamber, variable heating means positioned around and within said expansion chamber, means for supplying compressed a-ir to said expansion chamber for contact with said heating means for the purpose set forth-and means for refrigerating said compressed air prior to its admission to said expansion chamber.

2.- A heat and power producing apparatus of the class described comprising an expansion chamber, a compressed air storage tank, means carried by aid expansion chamber for compressing the air within said storage tank, means connecting. said compressed air storage tank with said expansion chamber, refrigerating means positioned in said connecting means whereby the compressed air avill be cooled prior to its admission into said expansion chamber, and variable heating means positioned within said expansion chamber for expanding the cooled air introduced intothe expansion chamber.

3. In a heat and power producing apparatus of the class described, a circular expansion chamber having inlet and outlet ponts, acheck valve arranged in said inlet port, a hollow core arranged centrally within said expansion chamber to-provide' a circular space therein, and electrical heating means positioned in said space around said core for expanding. the air introduced into the expaiision chamber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the: presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

i I JoHN n. KNEED-LER.

-Witnesses:

EARL E. SNELL, E. G BRowN.

five cents each-by ndtficulngthe Commissioner of-P'atenta,

waahingtomflrw

Images