US2250198A - Flare - Google Patents

Description

R. F. HUTT July 22, 1941.

FLARE `origmalFiled May 1s, 1935 Patented July 22, 1941 FLARE Raymond F. Hutt, Fort Madison, Iowa Original application May 13, 1935, Serial No. 21,149. Divided and this application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,716

Claims.

This invention relates to portable iiares or .torches of the type which are employedv as warning signals on the highways by automobile or truck drivers, or as warning signals in construction work, although various of its features are applicable generally to lamps using a wick irnmersed in fuel oil or other inflammable substance, as will hereafter be more specifically pointed out.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 21,149 filed May 13, 1935 for Flare The use of outdoor ilares or torches presents the problem of shielding .the llame against gusts of wind, and the action of rain and snow, which has been accomplished in the prior art by providing a shield or wind break formed to fit over the wick. It is customary to position the wick in a tubular member which protrudes to a degree from the body of the fuel container. In my invention both the shield and the wick may be collapsed into the container, in a manner which accomplishes not only greater compactness when the torch or flare is not in use, but also permits greater simplicity in construction and design.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for increasing .the efficiency of the wick by controlling the draft of air directed toward the flame, all of which will be hereinafter more specifically set forth.

Other and further objects of my invention will be more specifically set forth in the specification and annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of one type of my flare in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a top View of Fig. 1 partially broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the preferred type of burner shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing an optional type of collapsible burner.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1 comprises a sheet metal flare or fuel reservoir substantially cylindrical in shape having a threaded cupola 2 at its top providing a round burner opening. The burner consists of a combustion chamber 4 having flame openings 5 either at the top, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or at the sides, as in Fig. 4, and air vents 6, either at the sides of the combustion chamber, as in Fig. 1, or at the bottom, as in Fig. 4. The combustion chamber is provided with a dome 1, Figs. 1 and 4.

A simple construction, using the preferred type of burner, is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The combustion chamber Il has an annular ange 2'! at its bottom which is pressed against a stop IS of the cupola 2 when in operative position. A wick collar I0 is provided with two annular flanges 22 and 23, ange 23 being so spaced that it lits snugly Within the combustion chamber 4, contacting the same at all points; flange 22 serves as a reinforcement for flange 23, and both are suitably attached to the Wick collar, as by welding.

The 'combustion chamber 4 is provided with a series of lateral air vents 6 having inwardly projecting vanes or ns 24 which serve as stops for the annular flange 23. A coil spring l1 holds the burner in operative position through annular flange 23 and the stops 24 and i6.

In addition to performing the function of stops, the vanes 24 in connection with the ared end of the wick collar Il serve as a means for conducting a controlled draft of air to the wick resulting in a brighter flame in operation. These air vanes may be either rounded or pointed, but they should be so adjusted as to direct the draft toward the flared end of the wick collar, as shown in the drawing. I have found that the use of the flared wick collar and the air vanes separately produces a more eflicient flame, but when used in conjunction, as shown, thel most satisfactory results are produced. In the preferred type of burner, shown in Figs. 1b 2 and 3, the flame ports 5 are placed at the top of the combustion chamber next the dome l, which is above the ilame ports, as I have found that the maintenance of the relation between the vanes, relatively small series of lateral air ports 6, the flared wick collar Il and the juxtaposition of the domed cap 'l above the relatively large horizontal flame ports 5, as shown in the drawing, produces the best results in combustion, with a consequently brighter flame, with less possibility of its being snuifed by wind or rain.

To service the wick shown in the drawing I have provided a bayonet lock, 25 in Fig. 3 and 28 in Fig. 2, which permits the removal of the combustion 'chamber from its seat in the cupola. The use of the vanes 24 as stops on the combustion chamber, permits the complete disengagement of the wick collar and the annular flange from the combustion cham-ber, and a simple disassembly of the entire device for servicing the wick.

In Fig. 4 an alternative type of burner is shown. The burner is generally similarv to that already shown in Figs. 1 and 2. However, in this form of burner the air vents 6 are provided in the bottom of the combustion chamber. The flame ports are in the ides of the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber has its base provided with a flange 8 in which the lower end 9 of the shell of the combustion chamber is held. A piston 36 is welded or otherwise suitably attached to the wick collar l0. The piston has an annular head, as at 39, adjusted to ft snugly into a cylinder 31 which is crimped around the mouth of the cupola 2 at I6. The cylinder is belled inwardly at 38 to stop the piston at the bottom, acting as a seat therefor when the burner is not in use. The piston 36 is in sufliciently tight contact with the cylinder so that the burner will remain in whatever position, with reference to the reservoir, that it may be left. To service the wick the combustion chamber may be removed.

The cupola 2 is threaded to receive a threaded cap (not shown) of any suitable construction. In both forms of the invention the burner is depressed into the fuel chamber except when in use. The wick is thus kept clean of carbon and saturated with fuel.

While I have shown several types of construction of my burner, it is to be understood that this showing is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Numerous changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as dened in the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, I claim the following:

1. A burner comprising a fuel reservoir having an aperture in the top thereof, a cup-shaped combustion chamber having its open end extending into said aperture and having an outwardly directed flange adapted to bear against the reservoir wall around said aperture and limit the outward movement of the combustion chamber with respect to the reservoir, a wick core, a collar for said core, an annular flange on said collar adapted to fit in said combustion chamber and to be slidably kwithdrawn therefrom, stop means limiting the upward movement of the annular flange in said chamber, and a spring in said reservoir pressing the collar and ange upwardly to hold them in position in said combustion chamber.

2. A burner comprising a fuel reservoir having an aperture in the top thereof, a cup-shaped combustion chamber having its open end extending into said aperture and having an outwardly directed flange adapted to bear agalnst the reservoir wall around said aperture and limit the outward movement of the combustion chamber with respect to the reservoir, a wick core, a collar for said core, an annular ange on said collar adapted to t in said combustion chamber and to be slidably withdrawn therefrom, stop means limiting the upward movement of the annular ange in said chamber, and a spring in said reservoir pressing the collar and ange upwardly to hold them in position in said combustion chamber, said combustion chamber having air vents in the peripheral wall thereof just above said stop means and `said stop means comprising inwardly projecting vanes at the lower edges of the air Vents.

3. A burner comprising a fuel reservoir having an aperture in the top thereof, a cup-shaped combustion chamber having its open end extending into said aperture and having an outwardly directed flange adapted to bear against the reservoir wall around said aperture and limit the outward movement of the combustion chamber with respect to the reservoir, a wick core, a collar for said core, an annular flange on said collar adapted to fit in said combustion chamber and to be slidably withdrawn therefrom, stop means limiting the upward movement of the annular flange in said chamber, and a spring in said reservoir pressing the collar and flange upwardly to hold them in position in said combustion chamber, said combustion chamber having portions of its peripheral wall struck inwardly to provide air vents, said portions comprising the aforesaid stop means.

4. A burner comprising a fuel reservoir having an aperture in the top thereof, a cup-shaped combustion chamber having its open end extending into said aperture and having an outwardly directed flange adapted to bear against the reservoir wall around said aperture and limit the outward movement of the combustion chamber with respect to the reservoir, a wick core, a collar for said core, an annular flange on said collar adapted to t in said combustion chamber and to be slidably withdrawn therefrom, stop means limiting the upward movement of the annular flange in said chamber, and a spring in said reservoir pressing the collar and vflange upwardly to hold them in position in said combustion chamber, said combustion chamber having portions of its peripheral wall struck inwardly to provide air vents, said portions comprising the aforesaid stop means, said collar having a flared top and said portions of the chamber wall being extended diagonally upward from the lower from the lower edges of the air vents toward the rim of said flared top.

5. A burner comprising a fuel reservoir having an aperture in the top thereof, a cup-shaped combustion chamber having its open end extending into said aperture and having an outwardly directed flange adapted to bear against the reservoir wall around said aperture and limit the outward movement of the combustion chamber with respect to the reservoir, a wick core, a collar for said core, an annular flange on said collar adapted to fit in said combustion chamber and to be slidably withdrawn therefrom, stop lugs struck inwardly from the peripheral wall of said combustion chamber to limit the movement of the annular flange into the chamber, and means in the reservoir pressing the flange and the cornbustion chamber upward.

RAYMOND F. HUTT.

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