US1632318A - Electbic heating ttwit - Google Patents

Description

' 1,632,318 June 1927' F. c. SIMMS ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT Filed May 29. 1925 27 ea-i] 26 1 glTNESSZ:

ATTORNEY lit Patented June 14, 1927.

UNETED STATES 1,632,318 PATENT oFFic FRANK c. snvrms, or EAST PALESTINE, OHIO.

ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT.

Application filed May 29,

, member, of a-dense, hard material that-is lieat-and-electric-conducting, and that has a plurality of spaced, alined tubular members of aceramic electricrinsulating material located therein 'to receiveaaresistor member.

' invention,

The tubular -members have enlargedopen ends to receiYe' analining and resistor-protecting member-a.

In the single ,sheetofidrawin' 5,. j'. F igure-1 isfaview, in;ve'rtical .Ongit-udinal; section, of an electric furnace embodying my Fig. 2 is a vie -,Iin afiertical"lateral-section, taken on the line I I+II of, Fig.1, .5:

Fi and partially in longitudinal section, of a heating unit embodying my invention Fig. 4 is an end view there'of,-

Fig. 7 is a. vie\v,;in'; end elevations of-another form f device embodyingzniyinvemlLlOIl, 1, ."ttiiii Fig. 8 is aview, ina.side-elevation,-of a locking means,= f Fig. 9- is a; vieW.,-in.section therethrough taken on the; line IXIX.of Fig.i8,j

vention, and, in:

Fig. 11 is a view, in endelevation, thereof. An electric resistance furnace designated a generally-by the numeral 11in 13 land 2 of the drawings, comprisesa: plurality .of

bricks or blocks -12".=o'f-a: snitableirefrac'tory; heat-insulating material, built-.up; to consti-j tute a plurality of Walls enclosing a-furnace chamber 13. While-I have illustrated; a furnace chamber that-is substantially square in lateral section, I do not Wish to be? restricted thereto, as any desired size and-shape-of fur-- nacechamber maybe employedthereof, with enlarged Y other. However,

3 is a view, partiallyinfsidei elevation Y 1925. SerialNo. 83,585.

A heating means for the furnace comprises a plurality of plates 14, illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, of substantially rectangular form in both lateral and longitudinal sections. Each member 14 consists of a mass of initially-moistened, comminuted, heat-and-electric-conducting material, such as carborundum, that has been tightly compressed into the desired shape and dimensions. A plurality of alined tu bular' members 15, of ceramic electric-insulating material, are located within the membet- 14 and extend longitudinally thereof. The members 15 are provided, at each end end portions '16 for a purpose to be hereinafter set: forth in detail. I preferably make-the tubular members 15 in one piece, in order that there may be no joints from one enclthereof to the if the .length'of the member 14 and therefore of the tubular members -15, should become-jtoo' large to permit of manufacturing the members; 15 easily and ,economically, I may makethem of two or even. of three pieces abutting-relation.- I a The member 14 isimade in a mold which has provision for holding th'etubular memlocated, in alined and ber in their. proper zoperative positions ,dur- .fl g't em d ng.QPerat O Fig. 5 is an end vieW-.-of= ;am0di'fiediforma ,Any; ,desired sequence of stepsin} the, molding operation may .vide, a -,dense, homogeneousplateof thede- -i.sired;.shape and;.; dimensions, of initially- -;Inoi stened,- cornminuted' V .carborundum ,that is't-ightlycompressed, particularly so around the tubular membersjeAftendryingout and being heated toa relatively-high. temperature, such plates are relatively; hard and dense and still withstandfconsiderable shock without, breaking or .crackin the tubular sideaelevation, of a. fmembers -15'aiding inrstrengt ingtheplate. modified form of .de'vifce embodying my in- --A"resistor. member is located ;within' the .tubular ,ine-mbers- 15 and. extendsthere through, .and comprises :a relatively heavy and; preformed rod; -wire,- or-bar .o fi a suitabl resistance material, such as; nichrome. The wireor'rod. is bent'tosubstantially U- form orto hairpin shape, as more particularly shown in Fig.1 of the drawings. :Thus each individualresistorportion 1sl o cated in two adjacent. tubular members, and adjacent ends of. the resistormembers at one end of the furnace may be connected by any suitable means, here shown as clamping bars .18.

nace'scruct urev 7 The, end portions of the-upper and lower resistor-members of hairpin form may be made longer, as indicated at 19 and. 2lr re-, spectively in order that they 'may pro ect 5 through one wall of the furnace structure to have suitable supply circuit conductors (not shown) connected thereto. Bushings 22 may be located in the furnace wall to insulate:

the end portions 19 and 21 from the fur- Ifitistlesired to employannumber of 't-he combined 'muhle' and resistor-supportm -members le -in" end td'e'nd relafion; itris highly -desirabl that) means be provided to protectthe resistor i'nember at the joint between the two abutt-ingmem'eersl ti-Tem- "ploy forthis purposea' r'elatively short' bush- -ing 23;-of"a ceramic electric-insulating ma- "terial, whichfits' into theenlarged end por- ""23 not-only i b'eztfifemabtittihg 1 members 14, buti also at the endfiioi'tions thereof where heating units in Fig;-Pblf theidra wings the fiirnaeeehember,i* fis' ill'iistrzited in supporting-members; is con'stit-utedby rela wherein tubular members 27,-0f flattenedot" mpl'o'y eld" 'for ihbltitliig the member Ii -in =-'These mem relation -to= constitute a? mufile' that is substant-ially circular in outlines ovaL shape in lateral section, are employed instead ofthc circularfmembers 15. This permits of the use of ribbon instead of the .hereinbefore described wire or rod.

'Fig. 6 illustrates another modification in whicb a member 29 that is made in the same manner as the member ll. has located therein a plurality-'of':tubular members 31 of oval shape in lateral section, the longer dimension thereof being aliued' with the plane of the member '29. This form of flattened tubular member permits of using a resistor ribbon i nstoad of -a baror rod andit is .tobe noted that the greater surface ofithe resistor-member is alined with-the surfaces of tiieunember 29." Both 1 forms I of resistor supporting andmutll'e= plate members illustrated in Figs: 5 and 6 permit of translatinga greater amount of: electric cnergyint-o heat, than is the case in -the"form illustrated'Ein Fig.

'4.-' The tubular members-may be 'located closer to 'one'side of-the'=plateth an to the oth'er, in orde'iz th'at -the'resistor niembers m'ay-be located closer to the ch'anrbenthan;

to= the wall M ths-furnace; the deng'tli o'f the heat path into' the chamber'beiiig thereby shortened "and the' thermal 'resistance against the fiow 'ofi heat into the furnace wall being somewhat increasedL form than is the case when theiorms'illusthis may ordinarily no ti'lie' of importatrzce,

mnige'e, I' fhay provide is: hot restriete'd to a plzine and": rectangular form, but it may also be made in an-y otzher suit-able or' desirecl form; such= as the .arc'uate form iHUstI atecP in -FigL 7 A; member-'32- is there illustrated' as being of areuateiforin, in end elevation; and 'bein'g otherwiseio t substantially rectangular contours :"A' plura'lity =-of= tubular-:memhers' 3350f ceramic, electric insula ting imaterimtiiare located in Mined- 11ml spaced relation within 5 the member -32, and extend longitudinally I thereof. am e kindfiof The member 32 is made of carbornmh-nu.that jf'niateria' asjthe rnemb'ers l or as the tubes -'is' initially .1noistened 1 andvis' vcompreese' d un 15. i Eclfieornefl'ofthe "members PE is pre de!- greatv pressurewindhis'then heated" to a v'idediwi'th smal l r'ejcessf26 tfltat is' ofsuch high temperature:stodryoot jall moisture ShApe Eis ijoWetiiXePa p0i'tion==of"-th'e"mem contain'edi thereinr 3 7 .41 i

'b'er '2-5f Whenib'iitf members "l t areto 5 be' "The form of mullle' plate illustrated in loc ated in ite positions shown i'Ii' -'Fig lfFi'g. "9 ie is ori'ly'ineee'sser to alining rne'fnb'ers" 2 5 that' ofp'erati iiely engages" a corner -oi-eac'h"of-1he fonr members. I

5illustrates].a modified form iof eon :struc't i'on of a'yiesistor suppo'rting membei clmvature offleaclrofthe-muifie plates must:

1 arcuate 'members' 32 are :locatedinabutting Themadius of of'course, be made-. such/ -that:a chamber of Y i 7 may be employed in vertieal shaft emplo "one of the 'furnacesfinwhichi case a plurality of the lllt) shown in Fig. 11.

the desired diameter is obtained.- Any desired number of mufile plates may be located in superposed relation, in order to provide afurnace. chamber of the desired height. The muflie plate 32 may also be employed in a horizontal shaft furnace to surround a furnace chamber of substantially circular shape and extending longitudinally. Recesses 26 are provided at each corner of the plates 27, 29, and 32 to receive'alining members25. The ends of the respective tubular members 28, 31, and 33 are provided with enlarged end portions, as was hereinbefore described in connection with the members 15. Co-operating resistor-protecting and alining members 23 or similar thereto are to be employed whenever two of the plates are located in abutting relation, and also at the outside ends of the plates.

Figs. and 11 illustrate another modification wherein provision is made for locating a resistor member at the joint between two muffle plates. To this end I provide a substantially semi-circular groove in the edge faces andlocate therein a tubular member for receiving a resistor. A plate 34 is built up in substantially the same manner and of the' same kind'of materials as was hereinbefore-described for the plate 14. A

plurality of tubular. members 35 are located within the body'of the; plate andare of the same kind of material and construction as the tubular members-; 'The edge faces thereof are 'provided-r,-withi semi-circular "grooves 36 and 'a tubular' member 37 is located I within "the circular: groove,; formed when two of the members 34 are located with their edge faces in abutting relation," as

The tubular members may be-bfi tl'ie same general formas -was hereinbefore described in connection with the members 15, that isthey'may be of one pieceandi have enlarged; outer' ends to receive an alining and protecting member 23. I may alsomake the j members '35 shorter} than the length of one block and have the abuttingends thereof located in a short tubular member 38.25 a! The tubular members- 37 and 38 are to be inserted between successive superposed plates 34-as they arelocated their proper operative positions in the-furnace structure. l These tubular members will ensure-avertical 'alinement of the mufiie plates,'but I= may provide additional means for maintaining the plates in alinement by a tongue and groove connection -therebetween, Ias indicated by the numeral 39 in Fig. 11.

The plates 34 are alined longitudinally thereof by the members 23 inserted-in the enlarged ends of the tubular members 37.

If tubular members 31, of ovalsection, are employed (similar to those shown in Figjfi) and are located closer to one surface of the be provided in-the corners, in the same manner and for the same purpose as hereinbefore explained.

The deviceembodying my invention provides a form of combinedimuflle plate and 'the: use of the mufiie plate einbodying my :7

invention-is efi'ectivcain protecting the resistormember while at; the same :time permitting' of operatingfithe resistor: at relatively highjtemperatures without danger of unconfined: distortion itliereof which might otherwise cause eitliershort circuits between "adjacent portions-ofrthe resistor member, or grounds :between- :the resistor-and metal portions of Y the furnace structure. Where it desirable to have a substantially;:uuiform distribution of heat/ovenithefientire. surface aaofitheimufilel plateiuthisfz'may 'lbc efl'ected by the useofitheimodification illustrated in Fig. 6' ofithdi'awingst bllt'is. possible 20f course 3 to locatei the tub ular Fmerhtiers-nl-osen-tdge the 1" th an fitherezish'owmi whereby the heat distribution overtthe F surface 'iofr the. plate 'will be substantiallyiruni'formmi a'im lum'i ''1 hei -iiesistdnmienihers lcat'edrinthe tubular hiembers maymperatelat airelatively high -teinperaturei andithezntirel plate iwill reach '21: relati-velyuliigh .fieiiiperature .tha'tv -will be substantiallyiunifominoven the; surface of the lplatea mthilinz'wilhl therefore, constitiitei a :saurce e'f'uniformly distnibuted;heat-.-

m While theiheat' generated-fin; the individual resistbr p'ortions located in the tubular mem- :bersg will: bersubstantially uni formalaterally ..-ofi the-resistou' members or inii'a direction of -the-rz'thiclmess:ofthewplate, the heat-that is transmitted to -:the:s'urface of.the gnufile plate Elocatedi adjacentitoi'ai walliefytlr'e furnace is conductedntoithemther'zsua'facerof the plate by reasoIi-ofifthe .factthatitbe .highly. compressed carborundume is; an 1 excellent conductor of heat. This prevents, to a great extent anyz acciunulatioir of-:heat onthat side .of the; plate away from the furnace chamber. The ceramio tubulangmembers 15. 28, 31.

and 32 will serve also? as 2a means for strengthening: theiplate: withwhich they are respectively associatedmThis: will be espec ially true of the members, 31, and a muiile --pla,te embodying; my invention is especially platethan to the other, the recesses 26 mayladapted'towithstand hard ,usage in a fur Lil "tireilengt hltire 4: lni'anielectricr'furnaoe, in a' pluralityof "mufile zind resistorfisupporting nace incident to placing materiat-in or re movingzit fromthefurnace chamber.

lVhile I have illustrated certainuspecific embodiments ofizmyxinvention Ixdo not-dc sire to belimited :-thereto,'- but" intend that pluralityoi'tubular 'memben; of ceramic electric-insulating material,- in saidplate for remova-bly receiving: a resistor-member;

' 3. A; combined muffle amlresistor-support,

comprisinga' plate-"- of ziniflatly-moistened, compressed, comminnted:earborundum, and

anpluralit y' of tubes "ofrefnactory' electricinsulating. ninterial-locatedtin said plate for n v p receiving aresistor member therein. and =for corering thesame over;substantially.- its en combination,

membersdocated inrabuttingarel'at'ionya plurality ':of spaced; alirid tubes/ft electric-5nsrilating:anaterialalocatedl I insjeacha of said =r nem'bers, and-means intenfitting-i-ivit-h the adjacent ends-of 'saidatubesiforlholdi'ng. said muttle members inna' lineinnntiinimumak l 5. A1; combined-i muflleaizmda f resrstor 'sup portyieomprisinglaehardgcdense platewf ini- 'tially moisteiiedp' I refractoryn; heat-and -electrio-conducting materiel-1!, and i a plurality of tubular r'esistor recervan memljers',=. of electri'c' iris'ulating' maberial iiinsaidfiplate; each member embodying meansafdn effecting.- a

1 greater i creeping distance: between: a? resistor therein and the plate= abl t-he-iends thereof, than the direct distance 'betweeni said parts. 6. Inan electric furnace,- in combi-nati'on, a plurality offormed' refraetory. resistorsupporting plates; of substantially reetangm lanform located in abuttingmelation and a single means int-erfittfing withiaiid extending into 'a cornerportion may of the='abutting plates formaintaining tl'iern alinement. i ii an, an electric fuma'ceyim combination, a plurality of formed'refract-ory plates of a hard, dense, heat-and-electric-conducting material located in abutting eiid-to-end 'relati'on, apluralityof tubular members',-of-electrio-insulating materialzhaving enlarged end portions,-located'-in spaced and alined positions in said'respective=plates,- and means interfitting, with- -the adjacent enlargedend portions of said tubular members formaintainingsaid platcsin alinement relatively to each other.

S'. A Combined mutlle and resistor support, comprising a hard, dense member of redetermined form and of heat-and-electric-conducting malcriah. and a plurality of spaced, :ilincd tubiilarmemhers, of ceramic electricinsuint-ing: material, located in said member few-receiving and supporting a resistor memher extending through said resistor support in the plan-e thereof.

5). In an electric furnac the combination with aplur'ality'ot' walls enclosing a furnace chamber-ct predetermined form, of a combined mul and'resistor-supporting member therein: conforming; to a portion ofnoneof sir-ii! walls aadwsupportcd adjacent thereto, and member comprising a plateof highly ('nlnpi'esscd, her.t-nnd-electric-conductingmai'erial-aml a plurality of tubular members of ref-ractor v elect c-insulating material, .exterating i121! ally 'therethrough: for receiringa-i szsrorrnemberz; l0. d1 ctmihined, in'utlleplate andresistorppm-t, comprising a removable plates-0f initially-coniminated compressed heatand- ,ei r-ccnduct-ing:material, and electric-insulating; lneanszwi'thin said plate forreceiv- 1 trigsupporting; member located: therein and for strengthening--said--plate. v-

;1'1. A-icombinedmutlleiplate and-resistorsupport;comprisingLa formed plate of-heat- -'.c'ondiicting.material, and tubular, electric-in- -sulating-y -means within said, vp1ate.--.:for {strengthening-the same and' for removably a-eceivingm resistor member'and for protecting the same over substantiallyiitsmntire zl tillgtlh'h 5 r I l-Q-xlh: combinedniufile plate and resistorsupport, comprising. a formed plate of=heat- ==conductings inateriah. amt-tubular,- electriclinsulatring, .means within saidzplate for --stren'gt-hening.= the same, and --for rembvably receiving-a resistor memberand for: protect- '2 ing; the-:same overisubs'tantially its entire length, said"tubular-means being located closer to one-surface of the plate than tothe 'other.- 1 a In an electric iurnace,-in combination, a'plurality of formed refractory plates: ofi-ia dense heat-and electric-conducting material located with their edgeface's in abuttingrelation, each edge face ha ringf a'gi'ootc'therein; anda tubular member, of refractory electric-insulating; material, locatedin the grooves ini theFedge faces .for receivinga I "resistor member: and for maintaining'said plates sin alin'emenL- In testimony whereof, I- have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th day of May, 1925;

FRANK c. srMMs,

and: protecting; a resistor

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