US1360178A - Thawing means for radiators - Google Patents

Description

B. M. COBE.

THAWING MEANS FOR RADIATORS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV- 5, IQIB. I 1,360, 178 Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

94 65 9 WITNESSES INVENTOI? M W ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES runron MARTIN corn, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

THAWING MEANS FOR RADIATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Application filed November 5, 1918. Serial No. 261,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. BURTON M. Conn, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Thawing Means for Radiators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 1

The invention relates to radiators of internal combustion engines such as are used on automobiles, aeroplanes and the like, and its object is to provide a new and improved thawing means arranged to permit of quickly thawing out a frozen radiator on starting the internal combustion engine. Another object is to provide a thawing means which can be readily applied to the various makes of radiators without undue alteration in the construction of the radiators or in the operation of theengines. Another object is to provide a thawing attachment which can be readily attached to or detached from the radiator at the beginning of the warm season.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the thaw ing means as applied, part being shown broken out. and the chassis being shown in cross section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4.- is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the slip joint connection between the inlet pipe of the steamchamber and the branch pipe of the overflow pipe of the radiator;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the lower end of the overflow pipe;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modified formof the thawing means as applied, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same'with parts shown in section;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of part of the same on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of another mgilified form of thawing means as applied; an

Fig. lO'is a side elevation of the same with parts in section.

The radiator illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 for the internal combustion engine 21 is of usual construction, and in front of the lower portion of the radiator 20 is held av steam heating chamber 22 extending from one side of the radiator to the other and provided at its back with openings 23 for the discharge of the steam in the chamber 22 with a view to direct such steam into the lower portion of the radiator 20 to thaw out the same in case it is frozen. The steam heating chamber 22 is provided at its bottom with a steam inlet pipe 24 detachably connected by a coupling 25 with a branch pipe 26 connected with the lower portion of the overflow pipe 28 of the radiator and leading from the filling tap 29 ofthe radiator in the usual manner. The overflow pipe 28 is provided with a bottom 30 having openings 31 for the escape of the overflow water. The openings 31 are adapted to be closed by an overflow 32 mounted to slide on the stem 33 attached to the bottom 30, and the said valve 82 is normally held in open position by a spring 34 coiled on the stem 33 and resting on the bottom 30. It will be noticed that in cold weather and while the automobile and other vehicle or craft is at a standstill, the water in the radiator, especially in the lower portion thereof, is liable to freeze and when this happens and the user starts the engine 21 then steam is generated in the upper portion of the radiator 20 owing to the scant flow of the cooling water through the water jackets of the engine cylinders. Now this steam in the upper portion of the radiator 20 passes downward in the overflow pipe 28 andforces the valve 32 to its seat on the bottom 30 thus closing the outlets 31. The steam in the overflow pipe 28 passes by way of the branch pipe 26, coupling 25 and steam inlet pipe 24 into the steam heating chamber 22 from which the steam passes in jets through the openings 23 into and through the air passages in the lower portion of the radiator 20 thus heating the radiator and thereby thawing the frozen waterin the radiator. When this condition is reached the radiator again functions normally and hence the generation of steam ceases and the valve 32 moves back into open position thus allowing the water of condensation and the overflow water to pass out through the pipe 28 by way of the openings 31 in the bottom 30 "of said overflow pipe 28.

In order to detachably hold the steam heating chamber 22 in position against the front face of the radiator 20 the following arrangements are made: The sides of the steam heating chamber 22 are provided with eyes 40 engaged by hooks 41 secured to springs 42 provided with hooks 43 adapted to be engaged with the usual fastening devices 44 for locking the hood of the engine in position on the chassis 45. By disconnecting the hooks 43 from the fastening devices 44 the steam heating chamber 22 can be readily removed from the front of the radiator 20 especially as the pipe 24 has a detachable connection by the coupling 25 with the branch pipe 26 of the overflow pipe 28. By reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be noticed that the steam heating chamber 22 obstructs but a portion of the air passing through the radiator and this is of advantage especially in winter time as less air is required for properly cooling the circulating water for the engine .cylinders.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the radiator is provided at the front with a shutter 51 having movable slats 52 for allowing more or less air to pass through the radiator 50. The slats 52in this case are made hollow and each forms a steam heating chamber provided with openings 53 for directing steam into the lower portion of the radiator. Each slat 52 is provided with trunnions 54, "55, of which the trunnions 54 are journaled in bearings arranged on the left-hand side 56 of the radiator. -The trunnions are hollow and areournaled in Ts 60 arranged 'in the overflow pipe 61 leading from the filling nozzle 62 of the radiator. Thelow er end of the overflow pipe 61 is provided with a valve 65 for opening or closing the overflow pipe 61. The valve 65 is connected at its valve stem 66 with a suitable mechanism 67 under the control of the operator in charge of the automobile to open or close the valve 65. The stem 66 ,is provided with an arm 68 connected by a link 69 with a slat operating rod 70 having the usual link connection 'TIwith the several slats 52 to swing the same into open or closed position. It is understood that the valve 65 is normally openand the slats 52 are'inclined, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 vto permit the air to pass through the. radiator. In case the radiator,

however, is frozen then-the operator actuates the operating mechanism 67 with a view to close the valve 65 and to move the slats 52 into vertical or closed position. The steam generated in the radiator on running the engine passes through the overflow pipe 61 and the hollow trunnions 55 into thehollow slats 52 from which the steam passes in jets through the openings 53 into the radiator to thaw out the same.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the steam heating chambers are in the form of transverse tubes extending across the front of the radiator 81 and provided at their backs with jet openings 82 for the passage of the steam into the air passages of the radiator 81. The pipes 80 are connected by elbows 83 with the overflow pipe 84 the same as above described in reference to the construction disclosed in Figs. 6 and 7. The lower end of the overflow pipe 84 is provided with a valve 85 controlled by a connection 86 within reach of the operator in charge of the automobile. Normally the valve 85. is open but in case the radiator 81 is frozen then the operator opens the valve 85 prior to starting the engine so that the steam generated in the radiator 81 can flow by way of the overflow pipe 84 and the T elbows 83 into the pipes 80 from which the steam passes by way of the jet openings 82 into the air passages of the radiator to heat the latter and thereby thaw out the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A thawing means for the r'adiaton of an internal combustion engine, comprising steam distributing means arranged adjacent to the lower portion of the radiator and provided with openings for the discharge of steam into the radiator, said steam distributing means being associated with the radiator and deriving its steam supply therefrom.

2. A thawing means for the radiator of an internal combustion engine, comprising a radiator, the saidchamber and detachably connected with the overflow pipe of the radiator, and

a valved outlet in the bottom of the overflow pipe below said connection between the supply pipe and the spverflow pipe, said valved outlet being normally opened and arranged to be closed by the pressure of the steam Within the overflow pipe.

BURTON MARTIN COBE.

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