US1488416A - Orchard heater - Google Patents

Description

- P. VLAG,

ORCHARD HEATER arch 25 1924.

2 SheetsSheet vl Filed Aug. 25. 1925 March 25 1924. R 1,488,416

. P. VLAG I ORCHARD HEATER Filed 1m 25, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

mm s

PIET vane, or WEST TAMPA, momma;

03cm!) HEATER.

Application flled August 25, 1923. Serial at. 059,422;

the types of orchard heaters now generally in use. 7

The present application is a continuation, in part, of my prior application, Serial No. 594,260, filed October 13, 1922.

The invention relates more particularly to heaters of that type in which liquid fuel is used as distinguished from those in which wood, coal or other solid fuel is employed.

The invention moreover is not intended to throw off any smoke, and therefore is distinguished from the smudge type of apparatus for protecting orchards against freezing weather.

- In apparatus using liquid fuel it is especially desirable, both for fuel economy and efficiency of operation; to-have the combustion as complete as possible; also-it is desirable for the products of combustion to be scattered over the ground at a'low level so that they may ocoupyias shallow a stratum of air as possible, as any'heat carried by the ascendinggases above the tops of the trees is practically wasted.

It is Well known that the products of incompletecombustion of liquid fuel contain more or less carbon monoxide (G0), which is li hter than air and tends to rise, and in pro ucing which not rfear'so much heat is generated as in the production of .carbondioxide (G0,) which is heavier than'air and would normally tend .to descend. Of course, when the combustion is complete, the products of combustion will consist mainly of nitrogen, from which the oxy en has been removed, mixed with carbon ioxide, both of which are heavier thanair, and more or less aqueous vapor which-is lighter than air.

/ The tendency of this mixture when released would be to rise in the air, but in cold weather this aqueous vapor 18 soon condensed into water, delivering lts latent heat to the provide improvements surrounding atmosphere, and the nitrogen and carbon dioxide are cooled by contact with the atmosphere and would tend to remain at a low level. Therefore, if the productsof combustion are the surface of the ground they will spread along the ground and rise slowly in the orchard, thus economically distributing the heat where most needed. My invention is especially intended to accomplish these results.

A further feature im' ortant insuch apparatus is to prevent tl fe liquid fuel from becoming mixed with rain water, and therefore it is important to keep the device prac-, tically rain-proof. Furthermore, it is important to render the device eflicient in strong winds which, with the apparatus now generally used, are apt to interfere with, the proper operation of the device by creating air currents which interfere with the eflicient operation of the heater.

A still further object of this invention is .to so proportion the sizes of the variousparts; such as the height and diameter of the chimney, the size of the combustion chamber, and the size and location of the air,

feeding and distributing cone, as to produce all of the above advantages, and insure complete combustion and elimination of carbon.

Finally, it is important to have the apparatus of simple which may be conveniently transported when desired, and may be conveniently set up or taken apart and operated as required. It will be obvious that such apparatus is liable to be of infrequent use and should be so constructed as not to require any special attention when stored away and not in use, and not-likely to get out of order.

I have endeavored/to construct the apparatus so astocover all of the desirable features hereinbefore described.

My invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicate by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete apparatus, parts being shown in section and parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the annular bowl or tank in which the liquid fuel is placed, the cone and flare, and the upper portion of the apparatus being removed from said tank.

and light construction delivered close to Figure 3 is a view of the device shown in Fig. 2, as seen from the left of said figure.

Figure 4 shows a section along the. line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and looking down.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the distributing cone and flare used in the apparatus.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the deflecting cap removed from the apparatus; and

Figure 7 shows the top of the smoke stack provided with the protecting cap which should be kept over the top of the smoke stack when the heater is in the open and not in use. This cap is mainly intended to keep out rain and dust when the heater is not in use.

The apparatus comprises a bowl A, preferably made of annular construction and provided on the interior with a central air flue A to supply the air needed 'in burning the fuel. This bowl isshown as provided near its top with an-annular bead a connected with the main body of theboWl by the annular flange a which thus forms an overhanging structure, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. This bowl may be mounted on any convenient support, such as the legs B, spaced apart as shown in Fig. 1, so as to permit the free passage of air beneath the bowl. Bricks or blocks of any kind may be substituted for the legs if desired, provided the bottom of the bowl is raised aboy e the ground far enough to permit the free passage of air into the air flue A".

Mounted above the bowl is the conical skirt C having its lower portion 0 adapted to fit snugly over the bead a of the bowl A, and having its upper portion cylindrical as at 0 to engage the smoke stack D. The upper end of the skirtC is open as at 0.

The smoke stack D is normally closed when not in use by the "cap E, see Fig. 7, but when the heater is in operation it is provided with an umbrella-shaped cap F which may be detachably. connected to the smoke stack as by means of the resilient legs f, see Figs. 1 and 6. These legs serve to space the umbrella cap a suitable distance above the smoke stack, so as to permit the free passage of the products of combustion beneath the umbrella cap,and the shape of said cap tends to deflect the products of combustion downwards.

Mounted over the air flue A is the perforated cone H. The lower portion h of said cone is not perforated and serves as a flare, as will be hereinafter described. This cone is connected to the walls of the air flue A! by means of the resilient legs it, see Figs. 1 and 5.

The ignition is started and controlled by means of the damper I, see Fig. 3. This damper may be provided with a thumb lug or handle 2', and is shown as having an opening i to uncover one or more of the three holes 1, 2 and 3, varying progressively in size, formed in the side of the bowl, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the damper may be drawn out to permit the influx of air through either the smaller hole 1 of the two holes 1 and 2, or the three holes 1. 2 and 3. The rate of combustion of the liquid fuel will obviously be increased according to the amount of air permitted to flow in through one or more of these holes just referred to. This damper and the openings controlled thereby, it will be noted, are mounted beneath the overhanging shoulder a. and are thus protected against rainfall.

To prevent side winds from interfering with the operation of the device, I provide a deflecting strip K, which. if desired, may be of corrugated form as shown in Fig. 4, and this deflector projects down into the liquid fuel abreast the holes 1, 2 and 3, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. Adjacent to the damper I, I provide a shelf M having openings or therein on which shelf a small piece of cotton waste or the like saturated with kerosene may be placed for convenience in starting theignition. This shelf may be made integral with-the deflector K, if desired, and removable therewith from the apparatus.

The success of this orchard heater depends 'not only on the novel combination and construction of the above described parts, but also on the relative positioning of the parts and the relative sizes-thereof. Experimentation has proven that the lower row of openings in the cone H should be below the chimney D substantially two-thirds of the distance between the chimney D and the surface level of the fuel in the bowl A, and that the diameter of the cone H at the lower openings should be aboutsix-sevenths of the diameter of the chimney D. Also, the heightof the chimney D must be substantially nine times the diameter thereof to insure proper draft and complete combustion sired height about the cone H.

The operation of the device is as follows:

at the de- -Suppose the parts to be assembled and inv the position shown in Fig. l, with the bowl charged with liquid fuel, the waste lighter in the flame will be distributed around the en tire surface of the liquid fuel. Any suitable liquid fuel may be used, preferably crude distillate of mineral oil. such as kerosene; but probably no oil of a lower specific gravity than 28 Baum should be used, or not higher than 45 Baum.

The initial combustion will develop a mixture of vapors from the surface of the oil which is rich in carbon and nitrogen, but lacking in oxygen, and the combustion will be incomplete; but alter reaching the flare and passing over the perforations in the place, and the damper open, insert a lighted match or a torch through the opening 3 of the damper; this will ignite the waste and bowl.

cone the supply of oxygen from the air coming in through the air flue A will be more than suflicient to complete the combustion, and this combustion will take place in the form of a flame rising up through the smoke stack. As soon as the apparatus is working properly the damper is set to the desired opening, depending upon the amount of heat derived from the heater.

The products of combustion pass up through the smoke stack and striking the umbrella cap F are deflected downwards towards the ground, and mingle at the same time with the surrounding atmosphere. The hot gases striking the colder; air outside will become more or less chilled and most of the aqueous vapor will be converted into water,

releasing the latent heat of said vapor, which latenfiheat will be distributed through the surrounding air, and would naturally cause the gaseous particles to rise; but the lighter aqueous vapor being removed and the heavier gases, nitrogen and carbondioxide, then predominating, the tendency of the heated gases to rise would be in a measure compensated for, and the resultant gases would then form a blanket, so to speak, over the face of the ground extending upwards amongst the trees. The more perfect the combustion, the heavier will these gases be, and therefore the tendency of the heated gases to rise will by a large measure be compensated for, if not overcome.

By having a large number of these heaters scattered through the orchard and simultaneously in operation, the heat may be distributed very widely over the orchard and the trees protected from excessive cold.

It will be obvious-that the umbrella cap F will prevent rain from falling down the smoke stack, and the protected position of the damper I will prevent rail? water from. entering through the slot in t The deflector K is used to preventany strong wind, blowing in at that side of the bowl, from interfering with the normal operation of the device, since air thus blown in by the wind would strike this deflector and would be so scattered or distributed that it. would not interfere with the proper process of initial ignition. Moreover the cone and flare being entirely protected from the external air currents would be free from the usual objectionable eddy currents which take place when the surplus air is admitted, through the sides of the smoke stack. Thus it Wlll be seen that all of the operative parts of the heater are substantially screened, either from wind or rain, and operated internally in the device. e ,7- 1

With the apparatus herein described a large quantity of air is supplied, not only to support combustion but to be heated and distributed from the heater with other prode side of the nets of combustion in a low stratum where g the most economical results are secured. By having an excess of oxygen present, and having a strong up draft through the smoke stack, the combustion is com lete, there is little or no smoke produce and there is practically no carbonization or clogging up of the smoke stackor of the burner attached thereto. This obviates the necessity .of frequent cleaning out of the apparatus which is very important, as these devices are only intended for infrequent use and then may have to be used continuously for a considerable time, and it is important to have them kept in such continuous use without being overhauled for cleaning or repairs. \Vhcre a slow heat is required the damper is only opened so as to expose one or more of the small holes while if a strong heat is required all of the holes of the damper are exposed. The fuel burnsvery muchilonger, of course, when the initial' combustion is small than where it is great, and the heat derived from the heater is of course much larger when a greater supply of fuel is used. The amount of fuel used can therefore be controlled by regulating the damper. The fuel burns gradually'down from the surface towards the bottom of the bowl until it is entirely consumed.

"The heater may be conveniently recharged by taking off the smoke stack and pouring into the bowl a fresh supply of liquid fuel. This of course should not be done when the bowl is hot.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described apparatus, and in the construction, combilimit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

The various parts of the apparatus may be made of cheap rolled steel or the like and the complete ap aratus will be uite light and may be easi y transportedeit er in' the' assembled or in the knock-down condition. It will thus beseen that I provide acheap, simple, eflicient andeconomicaldevice which may be used for the purpose.

Having thus described my mvention, what if Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An orchard heater comprising a bowl for containing liquid fuel and having an air -flue extending up through the body of fuel,

a perforated cone having its apex closed, said cone seated upon the upper end of the air flue above the body of lubricant, a conical skirt upon the bowl concentric with said cone, said skirt enclosing an uninterrupted conical chamber extending between the perforated cone walls and the skirt, said conical chamber being directly above the fuel body, and an elongated chimney upon the upper and smaller end of the skirt.

2. An orchard heater comprising a bowl for liquid fuel supported at an elevation and having an air flue extending up centrally therethrough, a cone closed at its apex and fitted over the upper end of said flue, spring arms carried by the interior of said cone for slipping into said flue, said cone being perforated, a conical skirtremovably seated on said bowl and being concentric with the perforated cone, said skirt adapted to en close a conical space uninterrupted from the perforated cone to the skirt and'said space extending above the body of the fuel, said space being wider at its base and being graduallv restricted upwardly toward the point of the cone and the upper end of the skirt, and a relatively high chimney on the upper end of said skirt.

3. An orchard heater comprising a bowl adapted to contain a quantity'of fuel and having a central flue extending up through the body of the bowl, a chimney'spaced above the bowl, a cone seated over the top of the air flue and having a closed apex and a v plurality of openings 1n its side with the lowermost openings spaced below the chimney substantially two-thirds of'the entire distance between the chimney and the surface level of the fuel, the diameter of the cone at 1e lowermost openings ,thereof being substantially four-fifths of the diameter of the chimney, and the height of the chimney being substantially nine times the dia eter of the chimney, and a skirt betwe n the chimney and the bowl enclosing said cone and providing a combustion chamber thereabout' and'between the lower row" of openings and the apex of thecone.

4. kn ordhard heater comprising a bowl adapted to contain a quantity of fuel and havinga central flue extending up through the body of the bowl, a chimney spaced above the bowl, a cone seated over the top of the air flue and having a closed apex and a plurality of openings in its side with the diameter of the cone at the lowermost openings equal substantially to six-sevenths of of the diameter of "the chimney, the diameter of the cone at the lowermost openings thereof being substantially four-fifths of the diameter of the chimney, and the height of the chimney' being substantially nine times the diameter of the chimney, and a skirt between the chimney and the bowl enclosing said cone and providing a combustion chamber thereabout and between the lower row of openings and the apex of the cone.

5. An orchard heater comprising a bowl adapted to contain a quantity of fuel and having a central flue extending up through the bodyof the bowl, a chimney spaced above the bowl, a cone seated over the top of the air flue and having a closed apex and a plurality of openings in itsside with the lowermost openings spaced below the chimney, substantially two-thirds of the entire distance between the chimney and the surface level of the fuel, the diameter of the cone at the lowermost openings thereof being substantially four-fifths of the diameter of the chimney, and the height of the chimney being substantially nine times the diameter of the chimney, and a skirt between thechimney and the bowl enclosing said cone and providing a combustion chamber thereabout and between the lower row of openings and the apex of the cone, the diameter of said cone at the lowermost openings being equal substantially to six-sevenths of the diameter of the chimney.

PIET VLAG.

Images