US1730212A - Humidifier - Google Patents

Description

Oct, 1;, 1929. "r. H IRELAND A I 7 3 -9 HUMIDIFIER Filed NOV. 18. 1925 Patented Get. 1, 192

HUMIDIFIER Application filed November 18, 1925. Serial No. 69,809.

This invention pertains to humidifiers for humidifying systems, such as those disclosed for instance, in my Patent No. 1,57 5,839 dated March 9, 1926, and is an improvement upon the apparatus therein described. lVhile the principles thereof may be employed in various relationships, they have been embodied, for illustrative purposes, in a humidifier suitable for connection in or to an ordinary type 0 of house heating system.

One. of the objects of my invention, is to provide a humidifier which may be readily installed and connected in the supply line of the usual steam or hot water radiator or hot air register and one which may be manufactured and sold as a unit for installation with the installation of the usual heating system or for connection in heating systems already installed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a humidifier which will be entirely automatic in operation and one adapted to operate when the heating system is in operation and to remain idle when the heating system is idle.

Other objects include novel features of construction whereby the aforementioned objects may be attained and whereby the humidifier may be connected in the line supplying the radiator or the like at eitherend of the radiator regardless of the position of the radiator or the like in the room.

Still further objects of my invention should be readily appreciated after perusal of the description and claims and from inspection of the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus shown installed in connection with a radiator and a heated medium supply line thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing one preferred form of the invention on a larger scale than that of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking at the right hand end of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 the usual steam or hot water radiator 2 has been shown connected through the valve 3v and line 4 with a main steam or hot water line 5, but it will be readily appre ciated and understood that the connections may be made in any other suitable manner and in the manner shown in my above noted patent when used in connection with a hotair heating system. I place the humidifier, generally designated 6, in the line 4, and pre-ferably below the floor 5 in order that air circulation through the humidifier may be amplified by means of heat transferred from the radiator.

The humidifier 6 is preferably composed v of two parts, an upper 7 and a lower portion 8'. The lower portion 8 is formed substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to provide awater receiving reservoir 9 and a steam or hot water conduit or chamber 11 having no connection with the water chamber or reservoir 9, except that it may be integrally cast or otherwise formed therewith. The conduit or chamber 11 is provided with outwardly projecting portions 12 at its ends, which portions are tapped whereby they may receive the threaded ends of the line. 4 and be connected therein. The water reservoir portion is preferably provided with oppositely disposed lugs 13 and 14, each cored and tapped to receive a pipe 15 for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and with spaced lugs 16 adapted to be connected with similar lugs 17 formed on the upper or cover portion? by means of bolts, lag screws or the like 18.

The top or cover portion 7 may be formed from sheet metal or from cast metal to provide a hollow inverted trough member to be superimposed upon the portion 8 and for tight connection therewith. The ends of the cover 7 are closed except for an outwardly projecting portion 19 forming a circular opening or the like telescopiugly connecting with a vent pipe 20 and through which humidified air may pass from the humidifying chamber provided between the cover 7 and the lower portion 8, and except for a similarly projecting portion 21 providing a second opening to the interior whereby cool air may be supplied to the tank.- A baflle plate 22 integral with or secured to the cover 7 extends across or sustantially across the 1nterior thereof adjacent the cool air supply end. This baflle extends downwardly from the top to the line of the bottom of the open ing in projection 21. Arrows indicate the A float chamber 26 containing any suit-' able float mechanism, generally designated 27 for controlling a valve 28 operative to open 1 and close the end of the delivery pipe 29 from any suitable source of water supply, is provided with similarly placed tapped openings 31 and 32 whereby it may be connected to either of the tap ed lug connections 13 and 14 by means of the pipe 15. The float chamber is also provided with an overflow pipe 33 adapted to "be connected to it as shownat- 34 or to the opposite side of the float chamber as shown at 35. Plugs 36, 37 and 38 are employed to close the unused openings in the water reservoir and the float chamber. By constructing the float chamber and the water reservoir in this manner,'I am enabled to dispose the float chamber on either side of the water reservoir and the humidifier in the line of the heating system regardless of whether or not the line enters from the right or left hand end of the radiator, if the radiator is disposed close to the wall, as will be apparent. It will only be necessary to transpose the pipe and plug connections from one side of the float chamber to the other to adapt it for transposition to the opposite side of the water reservoir.

The air intake pipe 25 extending through the floor 5, preferably communicates with the interior of the room at or near the floor, although it may be placed in another room or carried to any source of supply of relatively cool air. The moist air vent'or delivery pipe 20 preferably extends upwardly through the floor and for a considerable distance in close proximity to the radiator or other heat distributor 2- so as to be heated thereby. The water in the tank isheated by the heat supply pipe 4: and the heat from the radiator causes an upflow of air in the pipe 20 While at the same time the colder air along the floor flows through the pipe 25 into the tank 6 into close proximity to the water therein and circulation is established whenever the, radiator or other heat distributor is in operation.

In operation, the float mechanism is adapted to automatically open up the water supply pipe 29 to supply and maintain a sufficient quantity of water in the reservoir and float chamber. The float having been set to close the valve at a redetermincd water level, the valve is close by the float when that level is reached. Should any execess water flow into the float chamber or the valve become stuck or any similar accident occur, the overflow ipe 33 will carry such excess water off. Vater flowing from the float chamber through the pipe connection 15 into the reseroutlet 20 closely adjacent the radiator preferably betweenadjacent sections thereof as shown, in order thathot air rising therefrom will aid in inducing a flow of air through the humidifier. Air entering the humidifier through the inlet is carried down into intimate contact with the surface of the water and absorbs water vapor therefrom, passes on through the humidifying chamber and the outlet from the chamber to the vent 20. Circulation of air through the humidifier is primarily induced through the arrangement of the humidifier whereby air, entering the humidifier through pipe'25, being relatively cooler than air Within the humidifier, forces the humidified and'warmor air out. .The draft through the humidifier is augmented by placing the outlet or vent pipe 20 adjacent or between the section of the radiator as aforestated.

lVhile I have shown and described a preferred form of the invention and have set forth several uses to which it may be put, the invention in its broadersense is susceptibleof many variations and modifications, both in structure and mode of operation without scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a humidifier adapted to be disposed beneath the floor of a room, means providing a water reservoir of greater length than width, a chamber below said reservoir hav ing a wall in common therewith and said chamber adapted to be connected in a heated medium carryin pipe line with the longitudinal axis of he reservoir parallel to the axis of the pipe line, a cover for said reservoir, said cover having two openings, one in each end, for circulation of air therethrough and across the water in said reservoir, and means whereby air pipes leading to and from a room to be humidified-may be connected to said cover at said openings.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, water supplying means are departure from the spirit thereof or the provided below the floor for the reservoir, 1

THOMAS HILTON IRELAND.

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