US2076961A - Heating system for refrigerator cars - Google Patents

Description

April 13, 1937. c. D. NlvEN HEATING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed June 2G, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N E E E m m m m m m m m m m/ /2 m m m Fig.- 2

April 13, 1937. C, D NNEN y 2,076,961

HEATING SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed June 2e, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 l: xfri 22 Fig. 3

Patented Apr. ,13, 1937 UNITED STATES WEISS-Hlt) DEC v.2l 1940 2,076,961

HEATING SYSTEDROR REFRIGERATOR Charles David Niven, Ottawa.,l Ontario, Canada Application June 26,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a heating system for refrigerator cars and has for an object to provide a system which maybe installed, as a per-` marient andv self-'contained unit, on cars at present in use.

It is usual at the present time to place small heaters in the ice bunkers of refrigerator cars during cold weather. Such heaters cannot be permanently installed and moreover, they. have the disadvantage that the hot air rising therefrom collects near the top of the car, which vresults in an uneven heat distribution, the lower part of the car being too cold and the upper part too hot. Moreover, such heaters emit carbon monoxide fumes which render the'atmosphere inside the 'car dangerous to workmen.

It has been proposed to employ heaters using a liquid circulation system as a permanent unit on cars but such heaters heretofore have been of designs which either interfere with the loading space of the car or employ some mechanical method of @forced circulation, which cannot be installed conveniently on cars at present in use.

The object of the present invention isthus to provide a heating system which eliminates these and other disadvantages and which includes a` heater which is self-feeding and readily conltrollable. ,l

Further objects and advantages will appear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a diagrammatic top. plan of a refrigerator car, with parts removed, showing heating system installed therein,

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of pertinent portions of the heating system,

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of the heater hopper, and

Figure 4 is a top planof the heater hopper.

In the drawings, I indicates the heater which is suitably supported within a housing 2 underneath a refrigerator car 3 provided with the usual oor rack 4, 'floor 5, Z'bar 6 and steel sill 1. A suitable liquid circulation means, which, for instance, may comprise a coil 8, is placed inside the heater, the ends of the coil being joined by means of connections 9 to riser and return pipes I0 which may be provided with couplings II and which lead upwardly through the floor of the car to a heating coil I2 which extends around/the floor of the car underneath the rack 4 as shown. The heater is provided with a repot I3 and a fueling hopper I4 which is formed with a neck I5 extending down into the firepot. The heater 455- also includes a grate I6, whiclrmay, for instance,

1935, Serial No. 28,588

be of the conical type, as shown, a shaker handle I1 for shaking the grate, an ash pit I8, an yash pit door I9 with a draught control 20, and an inspection door 2I communicating with the fire box.

The hopper I4 is loaded with fuel through a door 22 and the lower portion of the hopper and neck I5 are insulated to some extent by the provision of a surrounding space 23 formed by means of an outer casing 24. The space 23 is for the purpose of protecting the fuel supplyv in the hopper from hot combustion gases and is shown as an air space but obviously any suitable insulating method may be adapted for the purpose. A fuel cut-off door 25 may be provided in the hopper together with an operating handle 25 therefor. 'Ihe handle 26 may be formed with a knee joint 2'I which allows the handle to fall down. when open and thus prevents any possi-` bility of the cut-olf closing by the vibration of the train.

The waste combustion gases are led olf by means of an outlet or flue 28 which is provided with a door 29 in which is formed a draught control 30. A cowl 3| is provided at the flue opening for the `purpose of ensuring delivery of the gases when the car is in motion. It will be noted that air will enter either of two air suction passages 32 and emerge through the outer cowl opening 33 thus drawing with it the .waste gases and providing a positive escape therefor.

In view of the fact that the hopper door 22 must fit tightly in order to prevent the entrance of air into the hopper and consequently the prob- -able ignition of the fuel therein, ice, which forms by condensation of moisture driven off from the charcoal by the warmth from the firepot, would prevent the door 22 from being opened unless means are provided for preventing the condensed water from freezing. In the present instance this difficulty is overcome by leading the hot combustion gases over the dor 22 as shown. The exposed portions of the repot I3 and 'pipes I I) should be insulated as indicated at 34. It is vital to the successful operation of this heating system that the fullest advantage be taken of the possible thermal head that can be developed in the limited head room available below the oor of the car. This is accomplished as shown by thermal insulation 34 in adequate amount exteriorly of all parts ofthe heater adjacent to liquid containing parts and" also of connecting pipes, particularly of the riser pipe. 'Ihe cooling of heated liquid in the riser pipe by the outside moving ,air has been found by trial to destroy a large part of the thermal head and to actually stop and even reverse the circulation. Thermal insulation thus serves primarily to develop and conserve thermal head for circulation and secondarily to prevent undue heat losses and consequent waste of fuel. No forced or mechanical circulation or impracticable height of heater is required to maintain the ow of heating medium.

An expansion means of usual type for the circulation system may be provided as indicated at 35.

In operation, the hopper I4 is charged with a suitable fuel and a liquid placed in the circulation system which includes the coil 8, pipes IIJ and coil I2. It has been found that charcoal is a preferable fuel and that an anti-freeze solution is particularly suitable for employment as the circulating liquid in order to avoid the possibility of freezing during cold weather. The hopper I4 and neck I5 form a magazine for self-feeding the charcoal to the flrepot below, the ash passing through the movable grate to the ash pit. The hot gases pass up around the coil 8, thus heating the liquid therein and causing a circulation thereof through the pipes I0. The heating coil I2 being located under the iioor rack 4 and thus utilizing normally waste space, no encroachment on the loading space4 or icing compartments of the car is made. Moreover the disposition of the heating medium adjacent the bottom portion of the car ensures that all the heat entering the car is supplied from below, thus creating the ideal conditions necessary to obtain an even heat throughout the loading space.

The method of disposing of the combustion gases closely adjacent the heater by means of the cowl 3l is particularly convenient since the encoachment on useful space in or about the car is thereby avoided.

The hopper I4 is of substantial capacity and requires infrequent refuelling. By suitably arranging the outlet and inlet draught controls the fire may be readily controlled and the necessity of constantly lighting and extinguishing the fire, as is usually the case with heaters at present in use, is largely overcome.

The location of the heater underneath the car enables it to be conveniently attended to in contrast with present practice.

Should it be necessary to clean out the repot, it is only necessary to close the door and remove the' contents of the repot through door 2 I thus avoiding the waste of fuel which occurs when the standard heater is dumped in order to extinguish it.

It will be understood that various embodiments of numerous details of the invention may be rounding said riser pipes and said heater adjacent the liquid heating means, means for admitting fuel to the heater and a combustion gas discharge passage having its discharge opening located above the insulation surrounding the heater and directly below the floor of the car, said passage being adapted to supply heat to the fuel admitting means to prevent freezing of condensed moisture thereon.

2. In a heating system for refrigerator cars, l

a heater located entirely outside of and directly below the floor of the car, liquid heating means in the heater, liquid circulating pipes directly above the floor of the car, riser pipes connectingsaid liquid heating means and said liquid circulating pipes, means for preventing undesired 'reverse circulation of liquid due to the limited height of the heater and exposure to weather conditions comprising thermal insulation surrounding said riser pipes and said heater adjacent the liquid heating means, a horizontal combustion gas discharge passage located above the insulation surrounding the heater and directly below the floor of the car, and a fuel charging door for the heater located within said discharge passage. i

3. In a heating system for-refrigerator cars, a heater located entirely outside of and directly below the floor of the car, said heater including a horizontal combustion gas discharge passage also located below the floor of the car, a repot, a fuel feeding hopper having a neck communicating therewith, a fuel charging door located Within said discharge passage and communicating with said hopper, and-a casing surrounding said neck and lower portion of the hopper to provide an insulating space therefor, and a liquid circulating system including heating means therefor in said heater and a heatin'gcoil located directly above the floor of the car and insulating means for said system adapted to prevent undesired reverse circulation of liquid due to the limited height of the heater and exposure to weather conditions. f

CHARLES DAVID NIVEN.

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