US1819338A - Liquid fuel stove - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 18, 1931. a. E. PICKUP LIQUID FUEL STOVE 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed June 21, 1928 Aug. 18, 1931;

G. E. PICKUP 1,819,338

LIQUID FUEL STOVE Filed June 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE G'IEOIR'GII'IJ E. PICKUP, OF NEWARK, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEI-IRLE COMPANY, OF NEWARK, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO LIQUID FUEL STOVE Application filed June 21,

p This invention relates generally to liquid fuel stoves wherein the liquid fuel is delivered under pressure to a liquid fuel gas gen erating device, and more particularly has reference to a safety device therefor.

It is a general object of the invention, to provide a novel means to prevent the overflowing or flooding of the stove with liquid fuel should the fuel be permitted to flow while the stove is inoperative.

Another object is toprovide means of an advantageous character operable, upon the accumulation of a predetermined amount of liquid fuel in the fuel gas manifold, to release the pressure under which the liquid fuel is maintained, whereby further feeding of liquid fuel is immediately prevented.

A further object is to provide an inherently safe device of this character which, after once having been actuated, positively prevents further operation of the stove until an operator has manually reset the device.

1 Another object is to provide a safety device of this general character which may be economically manufactured, which is compact and neat in appearance, and in which the" soiled or oily parts need not be handled by the operator during the resetting of the trip device.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan section of the upper portion of a cook stove embodying a preferred form of the invention, showing the liquid and gaseous fuel supply lines and conduits and the control means therefor.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the di rection of the arrows.

v Fig. 3 is a side elevation partially in section showing the liquid fuel supply'pressure tank.

1928. Serial No. 287,059.

to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The particular form of anti-flooding device herein illustrated and described, constitutes an improvement upon the device disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 238,827, filed December 9, 1927, which application contains claims generic to the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention.

The invention has reference generally to the type of cook stove described in my copending application'Serial No. 161,476, filed January 17,1927, in which liquid fuel is delivered under pressure from a supply tank to a gas generating means for conversion into fuel gas. Referring to the drawings, 6 designates generally a stove frame of the usual well known constructionhaving mounted in an open top section a fuel gas manifold 7 leading through Various extensions 8 to a plurality of burners (not shown) and supplied with the fuel gas from a suitable gas generator 9. As may be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the gas manifold is formed, preferably near one end, to provide a relatively small downwardly extending pocket 10 which is, in effect, a trap within which any liquid fuel present in the manifold will accumulate, the

- flow or flood the stove.

purpose of which will be hereinafter apparent.

The gas generator 9 may be of any suitable character, but that which is herein depicted is substantially the same as that shown and described in my above-mentioned copending application. Briefly, said gas generating means comprises a generator tube 11 arranged to receive liquid fuel under pressure from a supply tank 12 through a pipe line 13. The tube 11 is connected to the manifold 7 and the passage of fuel from the tube into the manifold is controlled by a needle valve of a well known character (not shown) manually operable by the handle 15.

During operation of the stove, fuel gas for combustion in the burners is generated in the tube 11 by means of a sectional burner 16 underlying and extending laterally of the tube 11 and supplied with fuel gas from the manifold 7 through the extension 8 'An auxiliary burner 17 controlled by the valve 18 is provided. for. heating the generator tube 11 when a burner which heats a remote portion of the stove, such as the oven, is used and it is not desirable to operate the main generating burner 16.

The initial lighting of the stove necessitates the use of a pregenerating unit 19 positioned beneath the generator tube 11. This unit may be of any desired construction as for eXam ple that shown in my copending application Serial No. 287,060, filed June 21, 1928. The pregenerating unit 19 is directly connected by means of. a pipe 20 to the top of the fuel tank 12, a control valve 21 being interposed near the tank. To start the stove the valve 21 is o-penedto permit the vapor collected in the top of the tank to pass to the pregenerat ing unit 19 where it is burned to heat the generator tube 11 and produce gas therein. The valve controlled by the handle 15 may then be opened to permit the generated fuel vapor to pass into the manifold, which vapor is immediately conducted through the manifold 7, the extension 8 to, the burner 16 and ignited by the flame from the pregenerating unit, which may then be shut off.

It will be apparentthat in the type of stove which has been thus far described it is possiblethat during the lighting operation, a quantity of liquid fuel may readily be carried or forced into the manifold. Moreover, the valve handle 15 which controls the opening between the generator tube 11 and the manifold 7 may accidentally be moved and since the liquid fuel is fed to the generator'tube under pressure, there will be a resulting flow of the liquid fuel into the manifold, and thence to the burners to over- 01', in another instance, the generating burners may become extinguished and permit liquid fuel to pass into the manifold.

In any event, whether the liquid fuel accumulates gradually in the manifold or whether it flows rapidly thereinto, the presence of the liquid fuel in the manifold is a serious disadvantage since it may necessitate the draining and cleaning of the manifold, extensions and burners before the stove can be used again. To overcome this disadvantageous feature, means has been provided in association with the liquid fuel supply tank from which the fuel is delivered to the gas generator under pressure, operable to prevent further feeding of fuel after there has been an accumulation of a predetermined amount of uuvapo-rized fuel in the manifold.

he fuel tank 12 is of a character generally well known and is secured rigidly to one side of the stove frame 6 as by suitable brackets 24. The tank, as before mentioned, is connected with the generating tube 11 by means of the pipe line 13 which has the inletthereof positioned near the bottom of the tank. The tank may, if desired, be provided with various control gages such as the pressure gage 25 and a fuel gage 26 and means, such as the cut-off valve 27 may be provided in the pipe line 13 to regulate the passage of fuel from the tank.

A. cap 28 adapted to fit over the front end of the fuel tank LO form a continuation thereof provides an enclosed chamber within which is mounted a hand pump 29. The pump of an ordinary construction adapted to build up a suitable feeding pressure within the tank 12 and comprises a cylinder 30 within which a piston 31 reciprocates. The piston is operated by means of a piston rod 32 pivotally secured at its outer end to a handle which is pivotally mounted, as at 34, to a suitable support, such as one of the brackets 24:, on the tank. The handle extends forwardly of the tank and stove frame for ready manipulation by an operator in pumping air into the tank. An air line 35 leads from the pump to acap 36 upon the upper surface of the tank, which cap also serves as an aperture through which the tank may be filled with liquid fuel. A valve 37, manually operable by means of a handle 38, is incorporated in the air line 35 to close the line after sufficient operating pressure has been created in the tank.

In the embodiment chosen for disclosure a safety control device designated generally as 40 is provided mounted onthe frame 6 beneath the fuel supply tank 12, which device is preferably operable to control the air pressure within the tank 12 and thereby to control the flow of fuel oilfrom the tank. The safety control device 40 operates to control the air pressure in the tank 12 by opening or closing the end of a vent or exhaust passage formed by a pipe 41 connected at one end to the tank 12 above the normal level of liquid therein and at the other end to an L-shaped fitting 42 mounted in fixed relation to the stove frame 6 adjacent the safety device. An opening 43 extends from the pipe 41 through the fitting 42 and a valve seat 44 is provided at the end of this opening, which seat is adapted to receive a complementary valve member 45 movable longitudinally of the opening 43. A pair of laterally extending bores 46 are formed in the fitting beyond the valve seat 44, (to the left in Fig. 6) so that the air may escape from the opening 43. The valve member 45 may be moved to seated position to close the vent passage 41 and thus maintain pressure in the fuel supply tank.

Thus when the valve member 45 is maintained in operative or closing relation to the valve seat 44, pressure may be built up in the tank 12 and fuel will be fed to the generator '11 so as to provide for the continued operation of the stove. However, when the valve member 45 is removed from its seat so as to open the vent passage 41, the pressure within the tank 12 will be exhausted and the feeding of fuel consequently stopped.

The invention as herein illustrated provides mechanism operable normally to maintain the valve member 45 in operative or closing relation to the vent passage 41, which mechanism is arranged automatically to open the vent in case there should for any reason be an appreciable accumulation of liquid fuel within the manifold 7. This mechanism is shown most clearly in Figs. 3 to 6 and preferably comprises a rod 47 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in a bracket 48 secured by means of screws 49 to the stove frame 6. The bracket 48 is formed so as to project horizontally outwardly from the stove frame 6 and preferably has an upwardly extending portion 50. The upwardly extending portion of the bracket has vertical side walls 51 and in one of these side walls an aperture is formed to slidably receive one end of the rod 47 The opposite vertical side wall 51 preferably has an aperture formed therein to slidably receive the opposite end of said rod 47, and the L-shaped coupling 42 is connected to this side wall so as to position the valve seat 44 adjacent the end of the rod 47 and coaxial therewith.

The valve member 45 is mounted-on the end of the rod 47 so'that when the rod is moved in one direction (to the right in Figs. 3, 4 and 6) the valve member 45 will engage the seat 44 to close the vent passage 41. lVhen the rod is moved in the other direction (to the left in Figs. 3, 4 and 6) the valve member is moved away from the seat 44 and the pressure may be exhausted from the fuel tank through the laterally extending apertures 46 in the L-shaped fitting 42.

The means for normally retaining the rod '47 in its'valve-closing or right hand position preferably comprises a lever 55 mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis positioned below the plane of the rod. To

provide such a pivotal mounting for the lever 55, a downwardly extending arm 56 is secured on the bracket 48 and a pivot pin 57 mounted thereon extends outwardly through a suitable aperture formed in the lever 55.

In the present instance, this lever is adapted to be formed from sheet metal and is of substantially U-shaped section as shown in Fig. 4 with a central web and side flanges, these side flanges extending upwardly beyond the end ofthe web to provide a bifurcated end 58 which embraces the two sides of the rod 47. The bifurcated end 58 of the lever is positioned longitudinallyof the rod 47 between a washer 59 which is in fixed position on the rod and a second washer 60 slidably positioned on the rod 47 on the side of the bifurcated end member.

Thus when the lever is pivoted in a counter clockwise position in Fig. 4, the bifurcated end 58 thereof will engage the fixed washer 59 to move the valve member from its seat. When the lever is moved in the opposite or clockwise direction in Fig. 4, it engages and;

move the valve member 45 to its valve closing position and in its preferred form this means comprises a rod slidably mounted in the bracket 48 adjacent and parallel to the valve rod 47 This rod 65 may be mounted in a manner similar to the valve rod 47 with its opposite ends projecting through apertures formed in the opposite vertical walls 51 of the bracket. An abutment 66 is formed on the rod 65 to engage a laterally projecting lug 67 formed on the upper end 68 of the lever 55 so that when the rod 65 is moved to the right in Figs. 4 and 6, the lever 55 will be moved in a clockwise direction t close the vent.

An expansive coil spring 70 is positioned.

about the rod 65 between the lug 67 and the side wall 51 of the bracket so as normally to urge the lever 55 injcounter-clockwise direction to open the vent, and in order to main tain the lever 55 in its valve closing position in opposition to the spring 70, a trip mechanism is provided mounted on the lower end of the arm 56 and arranged to engage the lower end 71 of the lever 55.

In its preferred form this trip mechanism comprises a'latch member 72 secured on a pivot 73 which projects laterally from the arm 56 and this latch member has a notch 74 (Fig. 4) formed inits upper edge arranged, when the end of 'the latch member is moved adjacent the valve the manual operating rod' 65 is moved to the right tomove the lever 55 to its valve closing position, the lower end of the lever 55 will engage a gradual cam surface 77 (Fig. 4)

formed by that portion of the latch member 72 which extends beyond the notch/74 and will move the latch member downwardly until the end of the lever 55 passes into the notch 7-iwhereupon the weight of the float 7 5 will move the latch member upwardly so that the notch will engage the lever and maintain it in its valve closing position against the continually acting force of the spring which tends to open the valve.

In order that the trip lever may be released when there has been an accumulation of liquid fuel in the manifold, a cup 80 is provided which is adapted to fit upwardly around the float 7 5 and trip mechanism into abutment with the lower surface of the bracket 48 so as to enclose substantially the entire control device and form a receptacle to receive fuel from the manifold. To maintain the cup in position, a rod 81 extends through the upper edges of the side walls thereof and through downwardly extending portions 82 formed on the bracket, this rod being secured in such position by means such as a threaded engagement with one of the side walls.

A drain pipe 83 is connected at one end to a downwardly extending pocket 10 formed on'the manifold 7 and is connected at the other end to a fitting 84: on the bracket 48 so as to conduct the accumulated fuel from the manifold 7 and discharge it into the cup 80 The pipe 83 preferably slopes upwardly from 7 its connection with the manifold so as to form a liquid trap to prevent escape of fuel gas from the manifold. A drain cock 85 may be provided in the bottom of the cup so that liquid fuel may be removed therefrom with out removing the cup.

It will be clear that when there is an accumulation of liquid fuel in the manifold 7 it will be drained through the pipe 83 into the cup 80 so as to raise the float 7 5 and thereby release the valve and prevent further flow of liquid fuel to the generator 11. It is impossible to place the stove in operation after the control device has once functioned until after the necessary steps have been taken to reset the device. Moreover, the device is simple, easy to operate, and positively insures against the presence of any otherthan a very small quantity of liquid fuel in the gas compartments of the stove. It will also be apparent that the invention provides a safety control devicewhich is neat in appearance since the operating parts are completely enclosed and in which the soiled or oily parts need notbe touched by the operator during the resetting of the control device.

I claim as my invention: 1. A control device comprising, in combination, a bracket adapted to be mounted in a horizontal position and having an upward extension providing vertical side walls, a cup removably secured beneath said bracket and cooperating therewith to form a substantially closed housing, a rod extending through opposite vertical side walls of said extension so as to besupported and guided thereby for longitudinal sliding movement, one'end of said rod being adapted foraconnection to a valve, resilient means engaging said rod and the operator to one position, a latch device supported byv said bracket and operable to re'leasably secure said operater in its other position, a float operable to release said latch device, a cup removably secured beneath the bracket so as to be closed thereby and surrounding said latch device and said float to provide areceptacle to receive fluid for operating said float, and means extending through said bracket for returning said operator to latched position after it has been released.

'3. A control device comprising, in combination, a supporting bracket, means on said bracket for operating a valve, said means being arranged normally to assume one position,

.means mountedon said bracket for releasably securing said valve operating means in another'position, a float arranged to operate said releasable means, and aicup adapted to be removably positioned so as to form a receptacle to receive fluid for operating said float and to cooperate with said bracket to substantially enclose said float, said operating means and said releasing means, said cup being readily removable to permit inspection of said float and releasing means,

4:. A control device having, in combination, a support, a valve on said support, a single trip mechanism mounted on saidsupport for holding said valve in one position, a float mounted on the support and operatively connected to said trip device to release said trip mechanism to permit movement of said valve to another position, a cup adapted to be removably secured in surrounding relation relatively to said float and trip device for receiving liquid to operate said float, a drain cock on said cup for removing liquid therefrom, and means operable from the outside of said cup while it is in position on said support to close said valve and reset said trip mechanism.

5. A control device of the character set forth, comprising, in combination, a supporting member, a valve operator on said member mounted formovement betweentwo positions, means mounted on said member urging said operator to one of its positions, a latch device carried by said member and projecting downwardly from its point of attachment to said member, said device being operable to releasably secure said operator in its other position, a float for operating the latch device to release said operator, a cup carried by said member surrounding said latch device and said float to provide a receptacle to receive fluid to operate said float, and means on said member for conducting fluid into said cup, said cup being detachably secured to said support.

6. A control device comprising, in combination, a support having a dependent arm, a valve operator carried by said sup-port and movable between two positions, means urging said operator to one position, a latch device mounted on said arm and operable to releasably secure said operator. in its other position, said device including a latch member connected with said operator and a movable catch, a float connected to said catch and operable to release said latch member, and a cup removably secured to and supported by said support in surrounding relation to said latch device and float to receive liquid for operating said device.

7. A control device comprising, in combination, a. bracket adapted to be mounted in a horizontal position and having an upward extension providing vertical side walls, a cup removably secured beneath said bracket and cooperating therewith to form a substantially closed housing, a first rod extending through opposite vertical side walls of said extension so as to be supported and guided thereby for longitudinal sliding movement, one end of said first rod being adapted for connection to a valve, resilient means engaging said first rod and one of said vertical walls within the housing to urge said rod in one direction, a latch device supported by said bracket and operable to releasably secure said first rod against movement by said means, a second rod slidably mounted in the vertical side walls of said extension, and projecting through one of said walls, means connecting said second rod to said first rod and to said latch device operable by said second rod to move said first rod against said resilient means and to set said latch device in operative relation to said first rod, and afloat supported by the bracket and movable by an accumulation of liquid in said cup to operate said latch device to release said first rod for movement by said resilient means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto alfixed my signature.

GEORGE E. PICKUP.

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