US2442168A

US2442168A - Gas furnace with electrically ignited pilot

Info

Publication number: US2442168A
Application number: US606760A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arnold V Halda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-07-24
Filing date: 1945-07-24
Publication date: 1948-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1965-05-25

Description

May 25, 151 4-8. y D 2,442,168

GAS FURNACE WITH ELECTRICALLY IGNITED PILOT Filed July 24, 1945 Patented May 25, 1948 GAS FURNACE WITH ELECTRICALLY IGNITED PILOT Arnold V. Halda, Kansas City, Mo. Application July 24, 1945, Serial No. 606,760 2 Claims. (Cl. 158-115) This invention relates to igniting systems for fluid burners, and more particularly to an electrical igniting system for a gas burner.

A main object of the invention is to provide an electrical igniting means for a gas burner, such as is employed in gas heating furnaces, to supplement the conventional pilot light and to insure that the pilot light will remain burning when the main gas supply to the burner is turned off.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved igniting means for a gas furnace burner I wherein a spark gap is employed as a supplemental igniting device, said spark gap also functioning to reignite the pilot burner should said pilot burner become extinguished upon turning of! the main gas supply to the gas burner, or by a sudden draft.

7 Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawing wherein:

The figure is a side elevation partly in section illustrating an igniting system for fluid burners constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I designates the main burner of a gas furnace, the supply of gas to said burner being regulated by a. solenoid valve 2 which is energized, as required, by a suitable control circuit, to admit fuel to burner I. A pilot burner 3 is employed to ignite the gas at main burner I, said pilot burner being normally continuously lighted. However. it is frequently found in conventional structures that the flame at pilot burner 3 will be extinguished when the solenoid valve 2 closes to shut off the supply of gas to main burner I, resulting in a dangerous esdangerous escape of gas from the main burner when the solenoid valve reopens and the main gas flow fails to ignite.

To overcome the possibility of the pilot burner remaining extinguished and also to supplement the igniting action of the pilot burner when valve 2 is opened, I provide an electrical igniting system comprising a spark gap 4 positioned adjacent pilot burner 3,said spark gap being energized responsive to the opening or closing of valve 2. In the particular construction shown in the drawing, the top portion 5 of the solenoid casing of valve 2 is extended on one side to provide a support for a pivotally mounted switch arm 6, said arm being loosely secured at an intermediate portion thereof to an insulating stud 8 secured to the top end of the solenoid plunger 7 so as to be raised thereby when the solenoid is energized. Sup- 1 passes contact II.

a cape of gas from the pilot burner and a highly 2 ported at the other side of top portion 5 is an insulating strip 9 carrying a pair of contacts I0 and II adapted to be sequentially momentarily engaged by the end of switch arm 6 as the solenoid valve is energized and to be momentarily engaged in reverse order when the solenoid valve is deenergized. Contacts I0 and II are connected to a primary terminal of an induction vibrator coil I2, the other primary terminal thereof being grounded. A secondary winding terminal of coil' I2 is connected to one of the spark gap electrodes, the other terminal of the secondary winding and the other gap electrode being grounded. Switch arm 8 is connected to one secondary terminal of a step-down transformer I3, the other secondary terminal being-grounded, and the primary winding thereof being connected to the house lighting mains.

When the solenoid valve 2 becomes energized switch arm 6 will be raised and momentarily close the primary circuit of coil I2 at contact Ill, opening the circuit as it continues its upward movement and momentarily closing the circuit as it This produces a shower of sparks at gap 4 which supplement pilot burner 3 in igniting the gas at burner I. When solenoid valve 2 becomes de-energized, switch arm 6 moves downwardly through the dotted positions shown in the drawing and againinduces sparks at gap '4 which reignite pilot burner 3 in the event that said pilot burner has become extinguished by the cutting off of the main gas supply to burner I or by a, sudden draft. The reignition of pilot burner 3 is thus assured.

The make-and-break arrangement of switch arm 6 with respect to contacts In and II is such that the spark gap will be energized only when the solenoid valve 2 is being opened or closed. Under steady state conditions gap 5 is deenergizedf While a specific embodiment of an ignition systern for a gas furnace burner has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the s irit of the invention may occur to those sklled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a as f rna a main burner, a pilot burner positioned adjacent the main burner, means for continuously supplying gas to said pilot burner, a pair of electrodes positioned adjacent the pilot burner and defining a spark gap, a device for supplying high voltage current, said vdevice' having I 1 v awn 3 its output. terminals connected to a low voltage supp i circliit (or energizing said device, a a valve for said mainburner, a solenoid, a phmger for said solenoid. means said plunger valve. said plunger being iormed to said control and arranged to open said valve responsive to the energization ofsaid solenoid. a switch arm carried by the plunger, a plurality of contacts arranged to be momentarily successively engaged by said switch arm during the movement oi said plunger to valve-opening position and to he momentarily successively engaged in, reverse order during the movement oi said plunger to valve-closing position, and means connecting saidswitcharmandsaidcontactainseriesin said low-voltage supply circuit of said high voltage device. said switch armbeing iree oiengagement with any of its contacts when the valve is eitherinitsiullyopenedorinitsmllyclosed position.

2. In a gas burner, a main burner. a pilot burner ositioned adjacent the main' burner. means for continuously supplyl s gas to said pilot burner. a pair or electrodes positioned adjacent the pilot burner and defining a spark gap. a device for supplying high voltage current. said device having its output terminal connected to said electrodes,. a low voltage supp y circuit for said device, a normally. closed control valve for said main burner, actuating means for said control valve. a switch arm operable by said actuating means, a plurality oi contactsarranged to be momentarily successively engased by said switch arm during the movement of said actuating means to valve-opening position and to be momentarily successively engaged in reverse order during the movement of said actuating means to valve-closing position, and means connecting said switch arm and said contacts in series in said low voltage supply circuit of said high voltage device, said switch am being free of engagement with any of its contacts when the gaggle either in its i'uly open or in its fully closed mom v. HALDA.

nnranrmcns man Btrable July 10, 1945