US1825627A - Heater for water-cooled engines - Google Patents

Description

P K. H. BOWEN 1,825,627

HEATER FOR WATER COOLED ENGINES Filed July 2, 1928 //v VEN Ta R ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE T HENRY AND ALLEN, on NEW YORK HEATER FOR WATER-COOLED ENGINES Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to a new and improved heater for the cooling fluid of watercooled engines.

' When an automobile has an engine which is cooled during operation by the circulation of water around the cylinders of the engine and through a radiator it is preferable during the time of year when the temperature is low to have some means of preventing such Water not only from freezing because the freezing of the water is apt to cause damage to the engine, but also from becoming cold because when the engine cylinders are cold it is difiicult to start the engine.

Of course, it is possible to provide heat in a garage or other storage place for an automobile but to do so is expensive and a source of difficulty and annoyance.

The main object of my invention is to pro vide a means whereby the water in the cooling system of an automobile engine may be kept at a substantially predetermined warm temperature by means of electricity which will not only be effective but will be convenient and inexpensive.

Another object is to provide a heating means of this character which can be readily connected to a source of current supply and is automatically controlled so that the tem perature of the water will never exceed a predetermined amount.

Other objects and advantages relate to the size, shape and arrangement of parts, all. as will more fully appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation, partially in section, of an automobile engine and radiator with my device in position.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic drawing of the wiring system used with my device.

In the drawings I show an automobile engine 1 and a radiator -2. The engine 1 has surrounding it a water jacket 3 from the top of which a conduit Serial No. 289,851.

4- runs to and is connected to the upper portion of radiator -2-. A second conduit 5 connects'the lower part of the Water jacket -3- to the lower part of the radiator 2. I also show a pump 6 which causes the water in the system to circulate when the engine is being operated but it will be understood that my device can as well be used with a water-cooling system of the thermo-siphon type with which a pump is not used.

My device consists of an electrical heater 7 preferably of the resistance coil type which is disposed in the conduit 5 and which has electrical contact posts 8 and 9-. A thermostatic switch 10 is positioned in the upper conduit 4. The thermostatic switch 10 is preferably of the type having a contact 11 connected through a contact post 12 to a wire -13. Another contact post 14 is connected to a wire 15 and carries on its underside a thermo-couple 16 which may be composed of two metals having different coefiicients of expansion so that under the influence of a predetermined temperature the thermo-couple contact 16 will change its form and break the circuit. On the end of the contact 16 I provide a contact point -17- which is normally in contact with contact pointl1.

TV ire -15 is carried through a conduit 18- and fixed to post -9. Wire 13 is carried through conduit l8 and fixed to a contact point in one end of fuse box l9. Another wire -20- runs from post -8- through conduit 18 to fuse box -l9. Fuse box -19 carries the usual fuse -21- and has extended from one end thereof wires -22 and -23 operatively connected to a socket 2twhich is pro vided to receive a plug of usual form, not shown, connected to a source of potential also not shown.

When it is desired to heat the water in the system of the engine a plug, not shown, is inserted in socket 2%. Contacts 11 and l7 being at that time in electrical contact, the current will pass through wire 13 contact points 11 and -IT and wire '15- to post 9 through electrical heater 7 and post -8- and wire -20- back to fuse box -19 and thence to socket 2elto make the electrical circuit.

\Vhen the water in the system has reached a predetermined temperature which can be controlled by the adjustment of the thermostatic switch 10 the thermo-couple l6 will be deformed and this will cause contact point l7 to move away from contact point 11 and break the electrical connection between wires 13- and 15- and hence the electrical connection to the heater 7. IVhen the temperature of the water again falls below a predetermined amount the thermo-couple 16 will resume such a shape as to cause contact point- -17- to touch contact point lland complete the electrical circuit through heater -7-. This operation will be repeated so long as my device is connected to a source of potential so that the water in the system will be continuously held at a substantially given temperature within comparatively close linr its. Under these conditions there can be no possibility of the water in the system freezing and it will also insure that the cylinders of the automobile and the remaining parts of the apparatus will be in a warm condition so that at all times it will be easy to start the engine in operation.

The thermostatic switch is enclosed in a case which may be cast integral with the pipe section to be inserted as a portion of conduit sl but such case has no fluid communication with conduit t but is heated by radiation as the heated 'iuid rises in the system and flows through conduit -d circulation, owing to slippage around the pump blade ends being impeded.

It will be understood that the particular type of electrical heater and the particular type of heat controlled switch is not essential to the spirit of my invention provided only that such heater and such heat controlled switch are disposed in the parts of the water system which will give the best and most advantageous result and I have found that i the heater is disposed in the lower part of the system and the heat-controlled s itch is disposed in the upper part of the system that the best results will be obtained due to the fact that when the engine is idle and the water pump 6 is inoperative the application of heat to the water as by electrical heater -7 will cause the same to circulate by a thermo-siphon action because the warmer water will rise and the cooler water will fall in the system. Such being the case, I have found that it is better to place the heating means in the lower part of the sys tem where the cooler water is and to place the heat controlled switch in the upper part of the system where the warmer water is.

It will also be understood that my device will function without the use of a fuse box and fuse as -19 and 21 although I prefer to use them as an insurance of safety during the operation of the device.

It will also be understood that my device can be used with any type of apparatus which has a water cooling system and that the size, shape and arrangement of the different parts of the device may be varied to adapt them to dillerent conditions for although I have shown and described a specific structure and form of part as an exemplification of an embodiment of my invention I do not desire to restrict myself to the exact shape, form or relation of parts as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, an engine having a water jacket, a radiator, an upper conduit connecting the water jacket to the radiator and having a heat conducting wall, a casing mounted on said conduit, the

heat conducting wall forming a part of said casing, a lower conduit connecting the water jacket to the radiator, an electrical heater disposed in the lower conduit, a contact socket for connection to a source of potential, an electrical connection between the heater and the contact socket, and heat controlled means arranged in said casing, and actuated in accordance with the temperature of the fluid in the upper conduit for breaking such electrical connection at a substantially predetermined temperature in the upper conduit.

2. In a device of the class described, an engine having a water jacket, a radiator, an upper conduit connecting the water jacket to the radiator, a lower conduit connecting the water jacket to the radiator, the lower conduit having a branch provided with an insulated cover, an electric heater disposed in the lower conduit and supported by said cov- H, a contact socket for connection to a source of potential, an electrical connection between the heater and the contact socket, and heat controlled means mounted 011 the upper conduit and actuated in accordance with the temperature of the fluid in the upper conduit for breaking such electrical connection at a substantially n'edetermined temperature in the upper conduit.

3. In a. device of the class described, an engine having a water jacket, a radiator, upper and lower conduits connecting the water jacket to the radiator, an electrical heater disposed in thelower conduit, a contact socket for connection to a source of potential, an electrical connection between the heater and the contact socket, a casing mounted on with a thermo-couple adapted to cooperate With the contact for making and breaking said electrical connection.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of June 1928.

KENNETH H. BOWEN.

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