US1915141A - Blow torch - Google Patents

Description

Ju' 2 0, 1933- R. A. WILEY x-:r All.; 1

owmorwa Filed March 7, 1929 V 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 20, 1933. R, A, w|| EY ET AL y 1,915,141

BLOW TORCH Filed March 7, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 20, 1933. R, A. WILEY Er AL BLOW TORCH Filed March '7, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y @yg/we.,

f/zly ola June 20, 1933. R. A. WILEY ET AL BLOW TORCH Filed March 7, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 20, 1933 Unirse STATES PATENT ersten ROY A. WILEY AND CHESLEY L. WOLFE, OF SOUTH BEND, ICNDIANA, ASSIGNORS T THE ELECTRIC SPRAYIT COMPANY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BLOW' TORCH Application led March 7, 1929. Serial No. 345,028.

l V made up as a blow torch, or as a blow torch attachment for use with a paint-spraying device, or as a laboratory heater, or as a cooking stove. The foregoing are but a few of the many obvious adaptations of the inven- 316 tion.

. There are a number of diiiculties vandobjections attendant upon the operation of the ordinary blow torch. It burns only a highly volatile fuel such as gasoline, requires 15 pre-heating of the nozzle before using, de-

pends on vaporization of the fuel, necessitates frequent pumping to maintain sufcient air pressure on the fuel, is rather dangerous Lto handle, requires the attention of ASi() a skilled operator, and is expensive to manufacture. y

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved blow torch of novel construction, arrangement and operation.

The blow torch of the invention is designed for operation with low grade fuel oils, Vor kerosene, or more volatile liquids such as gasoline, benzine or alcohol. It will burn kerosene, for instance, as well or better thank the ordinary torch will burn gasoline; it produces an intensely hot blast; it does not require any pre-heating at all; it can be started instantly by holding a lighted match below the front end of the nozzle; it will not drip fuel when being` started; it is absolutely safe; it operates at a constant, non-fluctuating air pressure; it costs but little to manufacture; it can be operated with ease by a person having no previous experiences; and it can be made up not only in the form of a typical blow torch, but as a stand heater, or as an attachment for application to and use with a portable paint-spraying device, whereby such device may be converted in a few moments into an eiiiciently operating blow torch.

While the foregoing statements are indicativeiin a general way of the nature of the invention, other objects, advantages and n adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the improved blow torch.

' Several different adaptations of the invention are presented herein for the purpose of exemplification, but it will of course be ap- Vpreciated that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in various other structurally modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned side view of a blow torch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned side view of a stand heater embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a hand portable paint-spraying device equipped with a blow torch attachment embodying the invention, Fig. 4 is a sectional view, illustrating in detail the attachment shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cooking f stove, the individual burners of which embody the invention;

Fig. 6 is a section through one of the stove burners shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through anovel form of needle valve which may be used in connection with any of the forms of burners shown.

The blow torch shownr in Fig. 1 includes a container 10. in which a quantity of liquid fuel is adapted to be placed. The container' is preferably flared about its bottom to provide a stable support when set upon a horizontal surface, and is equipped at one side with a handle 11 by which the device may be conveniently held. A tubular member 12 screws into the top of the container and ter minates at its upper end in a horizontally extending head 13. Thehead is eXteriorly threaded at its front end and is pro-vided within such end with a chamber 14. A'nozzle 15 is screwed onto the front end of the head and contains in its rear face a conical recess 16 which forms the front portion of the chamber 14.

The air used in operating the torch is fed under pressure from a suitable compressor or storage tank (not shown) through a long flexible hose 17, which hose connects with a passageway 18 in the head opening into the chamber 14. The passageway 18 also communicates with the interior of the container 10 above the level of the fuel through a small duct 19.

The fuel used in operating the torch is caused by the pressure of the air on the top of the same to flow upwardly in a tube 2O into asmall bore 21 in the head, from which bore it iows forwardly into a tube 22 which projects from the bore 21 into the chamber 14. The front end of the tube 22 tapers to a small opening 23, and a needle valve 24 which controls the flow of fuel through the opening 23 is positioned centrally within the tube 22. The stem 25 of the needle valve extends rearwardly through ,the bore 21 and is screwed into a bushing 26' which is mounted in the rear end of the bore. A knurled handle 27 is secured to the valve stem 25 exteriorly of the head, and,rto diminish or increase the flow of fuel from the front end of the tube 22, it is merely necessary to turn the handle 27 in one direction or the other.

The nozzle 15 is provided in its front end with an elongated cylindrical bore 28 which communicates centrally with the chamber 14 through a small orifice 29 which is located in front of andV closely adjacent to the opening 23 inthe tubef22.` The inner wall 30 of thenozzle is separated from the outer wall 31 by an annular chamber 32 Vwhich communicates with the Abore 28 through two sets of apertures 33 and 34 positioned respectively adjacent the front and rear ends of the charnber 32. A plate 35 is positioned crosswise of the bore 28 between the front and rear apertures 33 and 34, a short distance in front of the orifice 29, and is provided with a large number of minutev uniformly distributed p'erforations 36 through which the combustible mixture is forced. The plate 35 is seated against a narrow annular'shoulder 37 in the bore 28, and is held against such shoulder by a readily removable split spring ring 38 which is seated in a shallow annular groove in the bore just in advance of the plate. V`

When the blow torch is to be started, the compressor is turned on and air under pressure is caused to flow rapidly into the chamber-14 and out through the orifice 29 into the bore 28 of the nozzle. The needle Valve 24 isthen cracked a little, whereupon the pressure of the air in the top of the container 1() forces the fuel up through the tube 2O and outof the'front end of the tube 22 into the front portion of the chamber 14, where such fuel mixes with the rapidly moving blast of air passing about the front end of the tube 22 through the orifice 29, is further broken up by the perforated diaphragm 35 and is blown with the air from the front end of the bore 28, in the form of a fine vapor. Such will ignite very easily, and it is nwly necessary to hold a lighted match'niomentarily just below the front end of the nozzle in order to place the blow torch in full operation.

When the blow torch is being started, any of the fuel which is not completely vaporized when it reaches the perforated diaphragm 35 will be pocketed in the rear portion of the bore 28 behind the diaphragm and will drain down into the chamber 32 through the openingsv 34. As the blow torch gets into full operation, the nozzle heats up, vand any fuel which has drained down into the chamber 32 in the nozzle is quickly vaporized by the heat transmitted thereto and passes back through the openings 34 into the bore 28, where it joins the combustibleV mixture passing through the bore and is consumed with such mixture at the front end of the nozzle. The openings 33 allow outside air to flow into the chamber 32. Should any of the fuel which is being discharged from the front end of the tube 22 into the air stream in the front portion of the chamber 14, fail to pass through the orifice 29 when the blow torch is first being started. it will drain into a well 39 in the passageway 18 and return from there into the container through the duct 19. A

In order to shut ofi' the blow torch` it is merely necessary to close the needle valve. The richness of the mixture being burned may be easily varied by changing the position of the needle valve.

The head and nozzle construction shown lin Fig. 1 may be incorporatedv also in a stand burner, as shown in Fig..2. 1n that View, the head 40 on which the nozzle 41 is mounted is arranged with the jet tube 42 in a Vertical position, and the stem 43 of the vneedle valve 44 which controls the opening 45 in the upper end of the jet tube extends downwardly through a sleeve 46. The sleeve 46 has a kfluid-tightV connection at its lower end with the bottom of the container 47, and

the stem 43 of the needle valve is in screwvlied nozzle construction which may be applied easily to, and used advantageously with, a paint-spraying gun.A As inthe previously described forms, the nozzle is provided with a long, substantially cylindrical bore 51, inner and outer walls 52 and 53 which are spaced to form therebetween a chamber 54, a finely perforated plate or screen 55 posie tioned crosswise of the bore 51" asshort 'distance in front of the vhole 56 .in the partition 57v which separates the bore 5l from the chamber 58 where the streams of fuel and air are brought together', and front and-rear sets of openings 59 and 60 connecting the chamber with the bore 5l forwardly-and rearwardly of the diaphragm 55. The-partition 5'?, instead of being formed as a part of the inner wall 52 of the nozzle, constitutes the front portion of an adapter sleeve 61 over which the rear end of the nozzle proper is screwed. The adapter sleeve is screwedintoA the front end of the barrel 62 of a paintspraying gun 63, in which barrel a jet tube 611 is cent-rally positioned.

rlhe air used `in operating the torch is fed through a liexible hose 65 to the chamber 58 formed in the barrel' behind they adapter sleeve. The fuel used in operating the torch is caused by thepressure of the air on the V top of the same in the paint container to liow upwardly through la tube 66 into the jet tube 64, from which it is discharged throughv an opening 67 into the stream of air passing through the chamber A58 into the orifice 56. The liow of air through the chamber 58 may be controlled by manipulating a trigger-like finger piece 68, and the character of the flameproduced Vmay be varied by screwing the nozzle proper forwardly ork rearwardly with respect to the adapter sleeve, a knurled rim 69 being provided on therear end of the nozzle for that purpose. The density or richness of the air and vapor mixture projected through the orifice 56 may be regulated by turning the adapter sleeve whereby to move the orifice toward or away 'from the opening 67 ink the jet tube. The outer'sides of the front end of the jet tube 64 may advantageously be provided with angularly extending channels 70 lwhich' will impart a whirling motionrto'the rapidly moving air stream. This feature may also be incorporated, if desired, in the forms shown in Figs. l and 2.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown an adapta-tionof the invention to an ordinary cooking stove. Each one of the stove burners is substantially the sa-me in construction, arrangement and operation as the burner shown in, Fig, 2. rlhe fuel et tubes 7l are all connected with a common fuel supply pipe 72 by branch pipes 73, and valves 'lihaving rconveniently accessible operating'handles 7 5 are mounted in the pipes 73 at the junctions with the pipe 72 for controllingrthe iiow of. fuelk through the openings76 in the upper ends ofthe tubes 7l. The conical airl chambers 77lsurrounding the upper ends of the tubes 7lfare connected with acompressed air supply pipe 7 8 by branch pipes 79, and valves 80 having operating handles 81 are located in the .pipes n 9 for controlling the flow of air about the air, and is provided with a shuteoffvalve 83. l

A branch pipe 84 extends from the pipe 78 into the upper portion of a closed fuel tank 85, wherebyito place pressure upon th-e top of the fuel in such tank. The fuel pipe 72 extends into the upper portion of the tank 85 and .terminates in an open end near the bottom. of the tank.

Theopenings in thestove above the burners are spannedby openwork grids 86 which are adapted to support cooking utensils in n properly spaced relation to the upper ends of the burners, and the central portions 87 of the grids are preferablyof upwardly diverging conical form in order to spread the flames.

When the stove is not in use, all of the valves, including the valve 83, are closed. When it is desired to operate one of the burners,the.valve 83 is opened, and the valves 74 and 8O associated with the particular burner to be used are opened.y A lighted match is then placed at the edge of the air and fuel mixture rising through the gridand the fuel valve Tl is progressively opened until the air and fuel mixtureissulficiently rich to support combustion. l

In Fig. 7 is shown al modified form of needle valve which may be used in conjunc tion lwith any of th-e various burner adaptations shown. The stem of the valve isv normally maintained in an axially elongated condition by means of a spring 88 which is interposed between two portions 89 and 90 of the stem. The extent to which the stem portions can be sepa-rated by the spring may be limited by an suitable means, such as a head 91.on one o the portions which engage within a socket 92 in the other. Y The spring 88 permits the stem portion 89 carrying the tip of the valve to yield resiliently toward the stem portion 90, with the result that contraction or expansion of tlievalve seat 93 due to temperature changes will not affect proper seating of the valve, as the action of the spring will automatically compensate for such changes.

We claim:

l.- In a blow torch, a tube having a single constricted opening in the rear end thereof through which air and fuel are blown and one orlmore openings in the side thereof adjacentthe front end, a casing surrounding saidtube and communicating with the interior thereofthrough said openings and a perforatedv diaphragm positioned crosswise of the tube rearwardly of the side openings.

2. In a blow torch for operation with a liquid fuel, an inner tube having a single constricted opening in the rear end thereof through which air and fuel are blown and openings inthe sidev thereof adjacent-the front and rear ends, a casing surrounding the tube'and communicating ktherewith and a perforated diaphragm positioned crosswise of the tube between the front and rear side openings. Y

3. In a blow torch for operation with a liquid fuel, an inner tube having a constricted opening in` the rear end thereof through which air and fuel are blown and one or more openings inthe side thereof, a perforated diaphragm positioned crosswise of the tube, and an outer tube positioned about the inner tube in spaced relation thereto at the location of the side openings to form a communicating chamber.

4. In a blow torch for operation with a liquid fuel, an inner tube having a constricted opening in the' rear end thereof through which air and fuel are blown and openings in the side thereof adjacent the front and rear ends, a perforated diaphragm positioned crosswise of the tube between the front and rear side openings, and an outer tube positioned about the' inner tube in spaced relation thereto at the locations of the side openings to form a communicating chamber.

5. In Ya-blow torch. for operating with liquid fuel, a nozzle comprising an elongated tubular member having a relatively `wide tubular bore open at the front end toi the atmosphere, a closure wall enclosing rthe rear end of said tubular member, said'closure wall having a restricted nozzle opening, ymeans for forcing anatomized fuel stream and air sufficient for complete combustion of thefuel through said nozzle opening into said bore, said tubular member having on its under side a chamber communicating with said bore on thek front side of said nozzle opening for withdrawing liquid fuel collecting in front of the nozzle opening from the stream and returning ittothe stream'in vaporized form when heated.

6. In a blow torch for operating with liquid fuel, a, nozzle vcomprising an elongated tubular member having a relatively wide tubular bore open at the front end to the atmosphere, a closure wall enclosing the rear end-of said tubular member, said closure wall having a restricted nozzle opening, means for vforcing an atomized fuel stream and air `sufifcient for complete combustion ofthe fuel through said nozzle opening into said bore, said tubular member having on its under side a chamber communicating with said bore on the front side of said nozzle opening for withdrawing liquid fuel collecting in front ofthe nozzle opening from the streamand returning it to the stream in vaporized form when heated, and a perforated baffle positioned cross-wise of the Vnozzle bore between the front and rear ends of the same. Y Y y 7 In a blow torch for operating with liquid fuel, a nozzle in the form of an elongated member having a relatively wide tubular bore openat the front end to the atmosphere and a closure wall enclosing the rear end, a restricted nozzle opening in said rear wall, said opening being outwardly tapered at the rear end and constituting a compressed air admission duct, and a fuel supply pipe having an outlet nozzle opening into said outwardly tapered nozzle opening on the rear side of said rear wall.

- 8. In a hand-portable blow torch for operation with liquid fuel, the combination of a torchV unit comprising an air duct having a restricted nozzle opening at the front end, a fuel supplytube extending through said duct and having an outlet nozzle adjacent said nozzle opening and to the rear thereof, a fuel container' connected to said fuel tube, a source of compressed air connected to said duct and to said container for supplying said fuel to said nozzle opening and producing a stream of atomized fuel mixed with air suiicient for complete combustion thereof issuing in front of said nozzle opening, and a tubular stream guide extending in front of lsaid nozzle opening around the stream to hold the flame at a distance from the nozzle opening, said tubular guide being open at the front end and having a perforated baiie between said front end and the `nozzle opening.

9. In a hand-'portable blow torch for operation with liquid fuel, the combination of a torch unit comprising an air duct having a restricted nozzle opening at the front end, a fuel supply tube extending through said duct and having an outlet nozzle adjacent said nozzle opening and to the rear, thereof, a fuel container connected to said fuel tube, a source of compressed air connected to said duct and tosaid container for supplying said fuel to said nozzle opening and producing a stream of atomized fuel mixed with air sufficient for complete combustion thereof issuing in front of said nozzle opening,and a tubular stream guide extending in front of said nozzle opening around the stream to hold the flame at a distancefrom the nozzle opening, said tubular guide having a compartment segregated from the stream space but communicating therewith to withdraw from the space in front of said nozzle opening accumulation of liquid fuel and return it to the` stream in vaporized form when heated.

Vl0. In a hand-portable blow torch for operation with liquid fuel, the combination ofla torch unit comprising an air duct having a restricted nozzle opening at the front end, a fuel supply tube extending through said duct and having an outlet nozzle adjacent said nozzle opening and to the rear thereof, a fuel container connected to said fuel tube, a source of compressed air conneeted to said duct and to said container for supplying said fuel to said nozzle opening and yproducing a stream of atomized fuel miXed with air sufhcientv for complete combustion thereof issuing in front of said nozzle opening, a tubular stream guide extending in front of said nozzle opening around the stream to hold the flame at a distance from the nozzle opening, said tubular guide having a compartment segregated from the stream space but communicating therewith to withdraw from the space in front of said nozzle lo opening accumulation of liquid fuel and return it to the stream in vaporized form when heated, and a perforated baffle across said tubular guide between its front end and said nozzle opening.

15 11. In a blow torch for operating with liquid fuel7 a nozzle comprising an elongated tubular member having a relatively wide ltubular bore open at the front end to thev atmosphere7 a closure wall enclosing the zo'rear end of said tubular members, said closure wall having a restricted nozzle opening, means for forcing an atomized fuel stream and air sufficient for complete combustion of the fuel through said 25 nozzle opening into said bore, said tubular member having on its under side a Chamber communicating with said bore on the front side of said nozzle opening for withdrawing liquid fuel collecting in front of the nozzle.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

ROY A. WILEY. CHESLEY L. WOLFE.

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