US2303807A - Heater for transportation units and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 1942. w so 2,303,367

HEATER FOR TRANSPORTATION UNITS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 25, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 1, 1942.

HEKTER FOR R. J. WILSON Filed Jan. 23, 1941 TRANSPORTATION UNITS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 943- R. .1. WILSON ,33,;07

HEATER FOR TRANSPQRTATION UNITS AND THE Filed Jan. 23, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 1,1942

Robert]; Wilson, Milwaukee, Wis}, sin er a.

Western Metal Specialty Company, lmlwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin 7 Application January 23, 1941, Serial No},fo' 7 5,568

, 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a gas burning stove I or heater and especially to a type thereof adapted for heating of the interior of transportation units, such as railway cars, trucks, etc.

Important objects of the invention are to provide an improved heater which will insure operation withminimum service requirements when installed in a transportation unit, and which will operate with minimum danger from fire hazard under conditions attendant to such use, such as when subject to severe jolts and shock, or even when completely dislodged from its normal operating position due to wreckage of the transportation unit.

A further object is to provide control elements and an arrangement thereof which operate in the unit to prevent danger to the operator or attendant as, for example, when starting the unit in operation, or adjusting the heating capacity thereof.

Other objects, particularly when in combination with one or more of the objects previously stated, reside in the provision of a unitary heater device and housing structure having a self-contained fuel storage, and readily accessible for operating adjustments and for replenishing the fuel supply.

- yet preventing unauthorized or dangerous adjustments or disturbance or disassembly of the elements of the unit.

A further object is generally to simplify and improve the construction, arrangement and operation of heaters for one or more of the purposes mentioned, and still other objects will be apparent from the specification.

The invention includes the construction and arrangement of parts as herein illustrated,-described and claimed and, since various modifications are contemplated, it will be understood that the invention also includes such modifications as are equivalent to the claims.

The same reference characters have been used for the designation of like parts throughout, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a heater unit incorporating the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the heater unit shown in Fig. 1, with the housing removed.

Figure 3 is the structure of the right of Fig. 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are, respectively, a sectional Fig. 2, viewed from 1 bled unit of Fig. 1, some portions being removed and others broken away.

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal section of the unit of Fig. 1, taken approximately along lines 'li of Fig. 1.

Figure 8 is a section of a control valve, taken mainly along line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

The heater unit of the drawings includes a housing or jacket l6, shown of sheet metal corrugated for increased strength, and mounted for support in spaced relation above a suitable base I l, by the means of bars 12 which extend upright from the base. A fuel tank It is suitable for containing liquidfuel and-gas under considerable pressure and isl supported and centered on base II and has -itsupper portion disposed within housing l. Base I l is adapted to rest on a floor, the surface of which is shown at it. A burner device generally designated by reference number I1 is mounted-within the housing at an upper level thereof. The upper end of housing It is I provided with a metallic grill 18 providing for elevation and a top .view of a tank fitting and valve shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged top-view of the assemfree upward movement of heated air therethrough, and with a handle or bail is for bodily lifting the unit. The unit may also be lifted by pivoted handles, such as 19a, 19a fixed on the housing. Straps 20 are carried by the housing,

to facilitate anchorage of the assembled unit in a vertical position, as by the means of chains 2| engaging with straps 20 at the one end and pro-- viding snap hooks such as 20a for engaging other chains suitably anchored to the walls or floor of the chamber to be heated.

During operation, air heated by burner device 11 rises through the tubular housing In to pass through grill I8, thus causing relatively cold air at a lower level to be drawn through the space between the fuel tank l3 and the lower wall of the housing, the fuel tank l3 being of less diameter than is housing Ill to provide an annular channel between the tank periphery and the interior housing wall. Within the housing the fuel tank and operating mechanism are so disposed as to further promote chimney-like action to facilitate burner operation and to promote heat circulation and distribution within the enclosure to be heated.

The heating unit of the drawings is adapted to operate on, for example, a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, contained in tank l3, which at normal temperatures is liquid untilthe pressure within the tank drops to a' substantially predetermined level, when it changes to. gas. One commercially available fuel having such properties is generally known as propane. Propane has the advantage for present purposes that it remains in liquid state at ordinary temperatures when subject to fairly moderate pressures.

Tank II is provided with a threaded removable filler plug 22 positioned somewhat below the top of the tank, whereby the tank is never completely filled with the liquid fuel, for reasons which will appear.

Fuel tank It may be of any suitable construction sufilcient to withstand the internal pressure required to maintain the fuel in liquid form. For the fuel mentioned such pressure is about 250 gauge pounds at ordinary temperatures. A gas outlet fitting or device 23 is provided at the top of the tank. As shown in Figs. 4, 5, the fitting includes a pressure relief valve 24 of any suitable well-known type opening at a predetermined high pressure within the tank; a fusible relief plug 26 opening at a predetermined high temperature controlled by the melting temperature of the plug material; a shut-off valve device 28 for the manual control of gas delivery to a burner supply pipe 25, and another valve device 30.

Shut-off valve 28 includes a valve piston 3| operative from a manuallever 86 by any suitable connections, and movable from avalve-open position, indicated by the full lines in Fig. 5, to a valve-shut position as shown in dotted lines. Valve device 80 includes a poppet plunger 39 alternatively movable to open or to close passage of gas from the tank I3 to a passageway 32 in which the valve piston 8| operates. A compression spring 38 is disposed between the head of poppet valve 89 and valve piston 8|, and another spring 36 operates between the valve piston 3| and the valve housing. When the piston 8| is moved to a position opening passage 32 to a passage 31 communicating with outlet pipe 29 the pressure of spring 38 is not sufficient to maintain valve 3!! closed against the pressure of the gas generated in tank l3, and gas then flows through the two valves 30, 28 to the heater supply pipe 29; but when valve 28 is in closed position both springs 36, 36 operate to maintain valve 3!! closed. whereby to maintain such pressure in tank [3 as is required to maintain the fuel in liquid state, except for such gas as is formed in the top portion of the tank in building up and maintaining the required pressure. The fuel tank pressure operating on valve 30 is insufficient to cause piston 3| to move upwardly against both springs 36, 38, and accidental damage to valve operating lever 35 or its connection with piston 3| results in both valves 28, 30 closing and remaining closed. During use the gas generates from the liquid as asoaso'r stantial degree from vertical position. Valve device ll operates as follows:

When the heater unit is in a vertical position. a ball 88 is maintained by gravity in the center and lowest point of a conical depression II, whereby to move the stem of poppet valve 48 downwardly and thereby to open the valve against the fast as it is used. When the heater is not buming only enough gas is generated to maintain the required pressure.

Gas supplied to pipe 29 under pressure, as described, fiows upwardly and into a pressure reducer device 43, which may be of any suitable well-known type, the function of which is to reduce the gas pressure from the pressure supplied by the tank l3 to a relatively low pressure suited to the burner device l1. Pressure reducer 43 is suitably fixed with a support or brace bar 44 which is rigidly fixed with the frame unit l0, as by screws a, Fig. 6, whereby to support and locate the pressure reducer and, other parts connected therewith including the burner device H.

The outlet passage of the pressure reducer 43 leads into a valve device 45, Fig. 2, which allows gas passage when the heater unit is in a normal vertical position, but which shuts off the flowof gas when the heater unit is tipped to any subresistance of a spring II In any other than vertical position of the unit the ball 63 is laterally displaced and spring ll closes the poppet valve to prevent passage of gas to burner supply pipe 66.

When the heater is in normal vertical position, as stated, gas at reduced pressure from reducer 43 flows through the pipe 66 to a control valve device 56 which includes a valve 66 urged to closed position by a spring 64, the valve 68 controlling the fiow of gas to a pilot burner 86 through an outlet channel 60, a manually operable shut-ofi valve 16 and a pipe 8|; and to two main burners l6, 11 each supplied through an outlet channel 68 and a valve fitting ll, the main burners being respectively supplied through manually operable shut-oi! valves 82, 63.

An armature 66 fixed with the stem of the valve 58 may be retained by a solenoid 61 in a position to maintain the valve open against the resistance of the spring 64, but only when the pilot burner is burning, whereby to supply relatively hightemperature to a Junction ll of a thermo-couple device connected in any suitable well-known manner to energize the solenoid. When the pilot burner is extinguished the thermo-couple does not supply sufilcient current and the spring 84 then closes valve 68; except that it may be manually opened, against the resistance of spring 64, by the means of a pushbutton having a stem .60 which operates against the valve head, the pushbutton being normally forced outwardly by a spring 68.

However, the pushbutton 65 is interlocked to prevent operation thereof when either of the main burners I6, 11 are supplied with gas and to prevent the main burners from receiving gas while the pushbutton is depressed. Such interlock is as follows: The outlet 69 leading to the main burners may be manually opened or closed by a rotary valve 10, Figs. 3, 8, having an operating handle H fixed on the exposed stem thereof, the push button stem 65a operating through the valve stem. The pushbutton stem 65a has an enlarged portion 65b adapted to engage with a slidable interference member 650 to prevent inward movement of the pushbutton when rotary valve 10 is in position for a port 10a thereof to communicate with the outlet channel 59, the member 650 then being forced to interfering position by a cam member 65d. In a closed port position of the rotary valve 10, rotated anticlockwise from the position of Fig. 8, the interference member 65c will move outwardly to permit the operation of the pushbutton 65. However, when the pushbutton is forced inwardly in the closed position of valve Hi the enlarged portion 65b forces another interference member 65c into a recess 65 whereby to prevent operation of handle II for opening of valve 10 while the pushbutton 65 is depressed.

To initially light the heater unit, valve 10 must be in closed position, whereby to release the interlock interference member 650 and permit depression of pushbutton 65, thereby to open valve 68 as described and move the armature 66 substantially against the core of the-solenoid 61. Provided the valve .15 is open, gas may then fiow through outlet 68 to the pilot burner 80, whichtained in a depressed position.

may be lighted while the push-rod 65 is main- In the depressed position of the pushbutton the main burners cannot be supplied with gas, for reasons explained. Heat from the lighted pilot burner generates a current in the thermo-couple i8 suflicient to enersize solenoid 61 to retain the armature against the pressure of spring 64, and the puslibutton may then be released and the pilot burner continues to burn to supply a certain amount of heat from the heater unit and to maintain valve 68 open. Under such conditions, after the pushbutton is released, valve 10 may be rotated to an open-position to supply gas to the main burners subject to individual control by the respective shut-off valves 82, 83 but if, for any reason,

the burners become extinguished, whereby the thermo-couple junction 18 cools off, the burners can only be started again by the initial pushbutton operation of the pilot burner, as described. The arrangement insures that all gas released through the control valve device 56 will be burned, because the supply is shut oil? when the pilot burner goes out, and the arrangement also prevents danger to the operator when lighting the pilot burner, since only a. limited amount of gas can then be supplied and only to the pilot burner.

lighting the burners and controlling the heating effect thereof, whereby to insure against gas leaks and against inoperative functioning of the various safety expedients and devices. The unitary construction of the heater substantially completely closed by the rigid housing makes it a matter of considerable difficulty to alter anything except the normal operating adjustments unless more than the usual tools and appliances are available. The various safety controls and devices are all completely safeguarded against any hazards to which the unit may be subjected during proper use, and protect the operator from any possible carelessness, as well as avoiding flre risks, so far as they might arise from the heater unit, even where the heater undergoes damages in a wreck of the transportation unit in which it is being used.

What is claimed is:

1. In a unitary heater the combination of a. base, a housing rigidly fixed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lowerlevel thereof and an outlet opening at an upper level, a fuel It will be noted that the combined operation of the thermo-couple device together with the interlock of Fig. 8 is such as to provide a master or combined interlock preventing any supply of gas to either of the main burners 16, 11 except after the pilot burner has been ignited, and while it continues to burn.

In the present example the burners are arranged to provide a considerable selection for heating effect of the heater unit. The pilot burner is of only limited heating efiect; one of the burners 16, TI is of intermediate effect and the other is of considerable effect; and the combinations thus available provide for 'four selective heating capacities ranging from relatively small to comparatively very large. burners i6, 11 are of individually adjustable effect by means of the valves 82, 83 to provide substantially any desired intermediate heating effect.

The wall of housing III is provided with an opening 89 which is sufliciently large to provide easy operating access to all of the described manually operable control mechanism of the unit. The housing opening isnormally closed by a door 90 hinged to the housing as at 9|, and provided with a hasp 92 and a pin 93 to maintain the door in closed position during use of the heater. However, the limited size of the housing opening,

and the unitary construction of the housing, tank,-

burners and controls, with all the parts subject to tampering inaccessibly inside the housing, prevents such access to the parts as would encourage or permit of unauthorized disassembly or adjustments.

A burner flame guard or protector includes a cylinder 95, mounted on the member M by arms such as 96 and laterally surrounding the burners, and also includes a spaced conical deflector 91, the deflector preventing any down drafts from extinguishing the burners, and supplementing the housing to such extent that the heater unit may, if desired, be used where subject to considerable wind. The deflector 91 also prevents localized heating of the grill 18.

It will be understood that it is not, ordinarily, desirable that any of the connections or devices storage container substantially within said housing and rigidly fixed therewith, a burner device within said housing and receiving fuel from said container, an adjustable heat control device enclosed by said housing and determinative of the heating effect of said burner device, said housing providing a lateral opening suflicient for adjustment of said heat control device, and a closure for said opening, and a plurality of anchorage mem- Moreover, the

of the heater be disturbed or adjusted except for 75.

bers fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

2. In a unitary heater the combination of a base, a housing rigidly fixed with the base and extending upwardly therefrom to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level thereof and an outlet opening at an upper level, a fuel storage container substantially within said housing and rigidly fixed therewith, a burner device within said housing and receiving fuel from said container, manually adjustable heat control devices enclosed by said housing, safety means enclosed by said housing including a. device interrupting the supply of fuel from said container uponmaterial displacement of said housing from a substantially vertical operating position providing said upper and lower openings, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted, for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

3. In a heater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a burner device within said housing at an upper level thereof, connections for supply of gas from said container to said burner device including an adjustable heat control device enclosed by said housing and determinative of the heating effect of said burner, said housing providing a lateral opening suflicient for adjustment of said control device and a closure for said opening, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

4. In a heater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a plurality of burners within said housing including a pilot burner and a main burner, connections for the supply of gas from said container selectively to one or both of said burners including a plurality of adjustable valve devices within said housing and respectively for control of the different burners, control mechanism within said housing including interlock means preventing supply of gas to said main burner except when said pilot burner is ignited, said housing providing a lateral opening sufiicient for adjustment of said valve devices and a closure for said opening, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

5. In a heater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a plurality of burners within said housing including a pilot burner and a main burner, connections for the supply of gas from said container selectively to one or both of said burners including a plurality. of adjustable valve devices within said housing and respectively for control of the different burners, safety means enclosed by said housing including a device interrupting the supply of gas from said container to both said burners upon material displacement of said housing from a substantially vertical operating position providing said upper and lower openings, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

6. In a heater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a plurality of burners within said housing including a pilot burner and a main burner, connections for the supply of gas from said container selectively to one or both of said burners including a plurality of adjustable valve devices within said housing and respectively for control of the different burners, control mechanism within said housing including interlock means preventing supply of gas to said main burner except when said pilot burner is ignited, safety means enclosed by said housing including a device interrupting the supply of gas from said container to both said burners upon material displacement of said housing from a substantially vertical operating position providing said upper and lower'openings, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

7. In asheater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a burner device within said housing at an upper level thereof, and connections within said housing for the supply of gas from said container to said burner device including in the order recited an electrically operable valve device and a manually operable valve device, a thermo-couple device including a portion within said housing adapted to receive heat from said burner device and connected with said electrically operable valve device to maintain an open position thereof only when said burner device i ignited, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

8. In a heater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a burner device within said housing at an upper level thereof, and connections within said housing for the supply of gas from said container to said burner device including in the order recited an electrically operable valve device and a manually operable valve device, a thermo-couple device within said housing including a portion adapted to receive heat from said burner device and connected with said electrically operable valve device to maintain an open position thereof only when said burner device is ignited, control mechanism within said housing including a device preventing supply of gas to said burner device upon material displacement of said housing from a substantially vertical operating position providing said upper and lower openings, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

9. In a heater for transportation units and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet opening at a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a burner device within said housing at an upper level thereof, and connections within said housing for supply of gas from said container to said burner including in the order recited a pressure reducer device, a tip-over valve device, an electrically operable valve device and a manually operable valve device, said tip-over valve device being adapted to close to prevent supply of gas to said burner upon material displacement of said housing from a substantially vertical position providing said upper and lower openings, a thermocouple device including a portion within said housing adapted to receive heat from said burner and connected with said electrically operable valve device to maintain an open position thereof only when said burner is ignited, and a plurality of anchorage members fixed with said housing at an upper level thereof and adapted for anchoring engagement with other members to prevent any considerable lateral displacement of the upper housing portions in at least one vertical plane.

10. In a heater for transportation umts and the like the combination of a base, a housing carried by said base and extending upwardly to provide an air circulation inlet openingat a lower level and an outlet opening at an upper level, a container for gaseous fuel substantially within said housing at a lower level thereof, a plurality of burners within said housing including a pilot burner and a main burner, connections for the supply of gas from said container to said burners including a pressure reducer device, a tip-over valve device, a valve device controlling gas supply to both said burners comprising electric means for maintaining open position thereof, and manual means for efiecting said open position, a manually operable valve individually controlling gas supply to said main burner, .a thermo-couple device including a portion within said housing positioned to receive heat from saidpilot burner and connected for said operation of said electrical means, and interlock means interconnecting said manual means and said manually operable valve for preventing an open position of said valve individually controlling the main burner while said manual means is in certain positions thereof, said interlock and said thermo-couple device together comprising a master interlock preventing supply of gas to said main burner except when said pilot burner is ignited.

ROBERT J. WILSON.

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