US1847431A - Water heater - Google Patents

Description

W. G. yHNNA -March 1, 1932.

WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 5, 1950 l ?1 RA MW AWM G A 52. 3 T m Q v- W/ -.H W

Patented Mar. 1, 1932Y PATENT OFFICE WALTER G. HANNA, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA WATER HEATER Application led September 3, 1930. Serial No. 479,491,

This invention relates to improvements iny An object of the invention is to` provlde water heater of the characterv described which will quickly and thoroughly heat with alow fuel consumption, a comparatively large quantity of water in a relatively. small, compact and inexpensive heater structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water heater of the character described wherein `a novel boiler partition member and a likewise novel heating means are so constructed and relatively arranged as to provide in the boiler a plurality of eiiicaciously spaced heating zones insuring a rapid water circulation and a quicker andmore widespread ap;- plication to the wat-er of the heat, whereby an economy in fuel and the advantages aforementioned result.

A further object of the inventionfis the provisionA of a heater unit that may be easily and inexpensively installed in small and restricted spaces, and has the heater associated with the boiler in a particularly compact arrangement. Y

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment of the invention which is 1ln lustrated in the accompanying drawings, iny

which, i

Figure 1 represents a transverse sectional view of a heater embodying the present invention. n

Figure 2 represents a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the heater.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view 3 3 inl Figure 2.A y

The present embodiment ofthe` invention which is shown in detail in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described comprises a household heater ofthe gas heated of the heater taken generally at the line Y,

type, but it is to be understoodthat `the heater may be made up in any size and for commercial or other purposes and heatedv electrically or otherwise, asfdesired. l

The water heater here shown is seen to comprise a cylindrical boiler or tank 1 havingits axis horizont-al and provided with a Coldwater intake 2 at the lower side of the end wall 3 thereof, a hot water outlet 4 at the upper side of said wall, a heating means generally designated 5 anddisposed within the boiler, fuel supply means 6 extending through the end Wall 7 and a flue 8 likewise extended from the last named wall. `Withl this arrangement, the heater as a whole comprises a compact unit practically no larger than the bulk of the boiler itself, whereby the unit may be easily and conveniently installed. i y

The heating means 5 includes a main lire or heating tube 10 extending from end wall to end wall approximately centrally of the boiler, and return tubes :11 and 12 disposed in spaced parallelrelation to and on opposite sides of the main tube, corresponding ends of the three tubes being connected thru a header of conduit 14 provided at the end wall 3. The other ends of the tube 11 and 12 are joined to the flue 8 by short flue . pipes 15 and 16. Ity will now be seen that heated gases provided in the main tube 10 by a burner or kheatertherein or by introduction thereto will pass from said tube vthru the feeder 14 and tubes 11 and 12 and from thence thru the pipes 15 and 16 and out thru the flue 8. By this arrangement the heat is widely distributed and effectively applied to the water in the boiler whereby a quick and thorough heating of the water is insured. As here shown the heat is provided by a gaseous fuel burner 18, extended into the main tube 10 and joined to the fuel supply means 6 therefor. However heating means other than the gaseous fuel burner may be used if desired. A means is provided to servefin reality as ak part of the heating meanswhereby to increase the heating capacity ofthe tubes 10, 11, and 12. This means also provides for a positive circulation of the water in the boiler in such manner vas to quickly and thoroughly heat the water. Furthermore said means is cooperative with the heater tubes to define a plurality of heating zones, as here provided, a primary zone A and secondary zones B and C. The above named means is in the form of a partition 19 extended transversely across and dividing the boiler into upper and lower Sections. vIn the-lower section the tube l0 and heating Zone A are located, whereas the tubes 1l and 12 and heating zones B and C are located in the upper boiler section. The definition of these zones is provided for by a curvate formation of the partition in an arrangement forming two upwardly opening channel portions 20 and 2l in which the tubes l1 and 12 extend, Vand a centrally located downwardly opening channel portion 22 in which the tube l() is disposed. It will be noted that these channel portions are curved substantially concentrically with said tubes and that said tubes are so spaced from said portions as to define restricted water-heating spaces between them and the partition portions and comprising the various heating zones. l/Vater in and passing thru said zones or spaces is heated in a quick and thorough manner. Y This provision for the several zones of heating is seen to increase the convection circulation of the water and therefore insures a quick heating of the'entire contents of the tank.

To provide for circulation ofthe water from the lower section of the boiler, and particularly the water heated in the zone A, a tube 25 is extended upwardly from the channel portion 22 near one end of the boiler and a convection .discharge of the water from the zone A takes place thru said tube. By ar'- ranging openings 26 in the partition member near the other end of the boiler and at the bottoms of the zones B and C, the water will circulate downwardly from the upper end of the tube 25 generally diagonally to and thru said openings, being heated in the secondary zones B and C from the fire tubes l1 and 12 respectively while thus circulating. The aforesaid action is seen to take place when no water is being withdrawn from the heater and the burner 18 is lit. When water is withdrawn from the heater while the burner is lit, the hot water from the heating zone A will pass substantially directly to the outlet 4, the water in the zones B and C acting as a heat insulating means for the former zone, thereby insuring a most efficient operation of the device as an instantaneous heater.

It will now be clear that by the aforesaid circulating and heating provisions, the full 'effect of the heated tubes l0, l1 and12 is utilized tol heat contents of the boiler in a quickI and particularly eiiicient manner, vtherebymaking possible marked economy in fuel consumption and the advantages hereinbefore noted.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the .device whichv I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedY States the following:

l. In a water heater, a boiler, a plurality of heater tubes extending into said boiler and arranged -to communicate with one another, a partition member dividing the boiler into upper and lower sections and extending between the tubes in a curvate formation providing a pair of upwardly opening channel portions in the upper boiler section and a downwardly opening channel vportion in the lower boiler section and inV which portions said tubes are disposed, said partition having openings therein providing for a circulation of water from one section to another.

2. In a water heater, a boiler, a main heater tube disposed yin the boiler, a burner in said tube, heater tubes disposed alongside the first tube and connected therewith, a partition member dividing the boiler into upper and lower sections and beingof curvate formation and extended between the tubes to provide a downwardly opening channel portion in which the main tube is disposed, and upwardly opening channel portions in which the other tubes are disposed, said channel portions beingspaced from said tubes and curved substantially 'concentric therewith, and a water discharger tube extending upward from the partition member in communication with the first named channel portion near one end of the boiler,`said partition member having openings therein near the other end of the boiler providing for downward circulation of water from the upper section of the boiler.

3. A water heater comprising a boiler, a heatingV tube extending through said boiler in a horizontal position, a heating unit in said tube, a pair of tubes extending through tube and in substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, said tubes communicating at one end with the heating tube, and at the other end with a flue, and a plate dividico Vsaid boiler on opposite sides of the heating ing the' boiler into a lower section contain- 3.

ing the heating tube and an upper section containing said pair of tubes, lsaid plate being perforated to permit fluid communication between said upper and lower sections.

Il. A water heater comprising a boiler, a heating tube extending through said boiler in a horizontal position, a heating unit in said tube, a pair of tubes extending through said boiler on opposite sides of the heating tube and in substantially the same horizontal plane therewith, said tubes communicating at one end with the heating tube, and at the other end With a, flue, and a plate dividing the boiler into a lower section containing the heating tube and an upper section containing said pair of tubes7 said plate being formed on curves concentric to and spaced from all of said tubes, and having perforations formed therein.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VALTER G. HANNA.

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