US2449377A

US2449377A - Oscillating fan heater

Info

Publication number: US2449377A
Application number: US573219A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lee B Green
Original assignee: DESIGNERS FOR INDUSTRY Inc
Current assignee: DESIGNERS FOR INDUSTRY Inc
Priority date: 1945-01-17
Filing date: 1945-01-17
Publication date: 1948-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1965-09-14

Description

Sept. 14, 1948. L. B. GREEN oscnmwme FAN HEATER 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17. 1945 I VINVENTOR. LEE 5. Gees/v 7 BY Y W5 Sept. 14, 1948. L. B. GREEN 2,449,377

OSCILLATING FAN HEATER Fi led Jan. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J5 FIG .5 INVENTOR.

I J/ W Patented 14, 1948 OSCILLATING FAN HEATER Lee B. Green, Lakewood, Ohio, assignmto Designers tor Industry, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 1'7, 1945, Serial No. 573,219 6 Claims. (Cl. 230--264) This invention relates to oscillating electric fans, electric heaters and the like and aims to provide an improved construction affording a more positive and satisfactory control for the oscillating movement of devices of this kind.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved oscillating mechanism for an electric fan or the like, embodying protective means for preventing damages to the oscillating mechanism in the event that the device strikes an obstruction during its swinging movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for a device of this character, in which the oscillating mechanism of the device embodies a releasable drive connection and positive means for preventing the oscillating movement when the drive connection is released.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved construction ior devices of the character mentioned, in which the oscillating mechanism includes cooperating clutch members and novel actuating means for causing engage ment or disengagement of the clutch. I

A further object is to provide an oscillating fan or the like embodying an improved construction of the character mentioned, in which the holding means for preventing oscillation forms a slip connection which permits the device to be manually swung to any desired point or setting of the arc defining its path of oscillating movement, and in which the clutch can be immediately reengaged to resume the oscillating movement without requiring any manual shifting of the device from such selected point or setting.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

The oscillating device of this application is an improvement of that disclosed in my earlier application Ser. No. 518,933 filed January 20, 1944,

. now Patent No. 2,391,964 granted January 1, 1946.

lar to Fig. 2 but showing the oscillation control means on a larger scale; and

Fig. (i is a detailed partial sectional plan view showing the oscillating linkage.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is in the form of an oscillating device embodying an electric fan and which is intended to operate either as an oscillating electric fan or as an oscillating electric fan heater. This device comprises in general a housing it containing a fan and motor unit ii, and a support or pedestal 12 upon which the housing is mounted for oscillating movement.

The housing ill is here shown in the form of a sheet metal shell of a substantially bullet-like streamlined shape. The housing is provided adjacent the rounded rear end thereof with a plurality of air inlet openings or slots it. The forward end of the housing is open for the delivery of air therefrom by the fan and motor unit ll.

When the device embodies an electric heating means i! for heating the air being delivered, as shown in this instance, the housing I0 is provided with an extension l6 at its forward end in which is suitably mounted in insulated relation an elec tric heating element ll of the resistance-wire type. The housing extension I6 is preferably of a size and shape to form a smooth continuation of the main housing ill and may be attached to the latter by means of the sleeve or insert It and suitably spaced attaching screws IS. The electric heater extension l6 may include an inner shell or sleeve 20 which is held in place by the brackets 20a and is provided with spaced members 2011 for supporting the heating element H. The members 201) are of the split-stem or cotter key type and are mounted in insulating bushings 20c. The forward end of the main housing it or of the a heater extension l6, as the case may be, is provided with a suitable guard or grill 2i which in this instance is in the form of a convex ornamental structure formed of wire.

The housing it may be mounted on the pedestal i 2 by providing a bracket 22 on the pedestal and which pivotally supports the housing. The bracket 22 is mounted on a horizontal pivot 23 provided at the upper end of the pedestal and carries a vertical pivot 24 which extends into the housing it. The bracket 22 also carries an annular seat 25 which surrounds the lower end of the pivot pin 24. The housing It is mounted on the pivot 24 for oscillating or swinging movement as by means of a bushing or sleeve 26 which is attached to the housing and whose lower end bears on the annular seat 25.

' 28 thereon. An arm 29 mounted on such projecting portion of the pivot pin 24 is held stationary by the flat faces 28. A link 30 has one end thereof pivotally connectedwith the arm 2! by means of the pivot pin 3| and its other end is connected with the fan and motor unit H so that when pushing or pulling forces are applied to this link by the fan and motor unit they will cause oscillation of the housing ii.

The fan and motor unit I I comprises an electric motor 33 of a conventional construction. a propeller fan 34 mounted on the forward end of the shaft 35 of the motor and an oscillating mechanism 36 operatively connected with the other end of the shaft of the motor. The electric motor 38 and the oscillating mechanism 38 are more or less rigidly connected together by means of suitable clips 31, or the like, and the assembly uni-t formed by the fan, motor and oscillating mechanism is mounted in the housing i by means of suitable rear and

side brackets

38 and 39.

The oscillating mechanism 36 comprises a closed housing or gear case 4| in which is located suitable reduction gearing for connecting the electric motor 33 with the thrust link 30. and a releasable drive connection for controlling the operation of the oscillating mechanism. In this instance the reduction gearing comprises a worm 42 carried by a rearward extension of the motor shaft 35 and which meshes with a worm gear 48 carried by a countershaft 44. The shaft 44 also carries a worm 45 which meshes with a second worm gear 46 which is mounted to rotate on a second shaft 41. The shaft 41 carries a disk or crank ,48 having thereon a crank pin 49 with which one end of the link III is pivotally connected. v s

The releasable drive connection for controlling the operation of the oscillating mechanism comprises a pair of clutch elements II and 52 having cooperating clutch faces which are preferably provided with teeth or serrations 53 as here shown. The clutch element Si is in the form of a sleeve or extension of the worm gear 46 and is freely rotatable on the shaft 41 and is driven continuously by the electric motor 33 while the latter is in operation.

The clutch element 52 is carried by a sleeve 55 which is rotatable with the shaft 41 and is axially slidable thereon for engaging or disen gaging the clutch element The drive connection between the sleeve 54 and the shaft 41 may he formed by a key or splines, or as here shown, by means of a pin 55 extending transversely through the shaft and engaging in a slot 55 of the sleeve. The clutch element 52 is normally biased toward engagement with the clutch element Si by means of a compression spring 58 disposed around the sleeve 54.

The oscillating movement of the device is normaily controlled by releasing or engaging the clutch formed by the cooperating clutch members 5i and 52 and, for this purpose, an actuating member 59 is provided having an actuating knob 8! located outside of the housing It).

The actuating member 5G is in the form of ashaft or spindle which is adapted to be rotated or oscillated by means of the knob GI and which is provided at its inner end with an eccentric portion or pin 62. The eccentric pin 62 cooperates with a flange or collar 63 carried by the clutch element 52. A resilient detent or finger 64 engaging in a groove 55 of the actuating membe! I prevents axial shifting of the latter and also exerts a holding action on the actuating member enabling the latter to be retained in settings corresponding with an engaged or disengaged condition of the clutch elements II and 82.

Figs. 2 and 4 show the clutch element I2 as having been disengaged or separated from the clutch element II and being held in such disengaged condition by the eccentric pin 82. So long as the clutch element I2 is disengaged from the clutch element II the gear 44 rotates idly on the shaft 41 and the oscillating mechanism will not transmit any pushing or pulling forces to the link I. and hence the housing ill will not be oscillated or swung on the pivot 24 of the mount. I

It should be explained at this point that the characteristics of the spring ll are such that when the spring is compressed by the movement of the clutch element 52 to its disengaged position it will exert suflicient pressure on the disk 81 to produce the above-described drag or holding effect for the shaft 41 but when the clutch element 82 is in its engaged position the spring will exert only a light pressure on the disk 81. Because of the large number of teeth provided on the

clutch elements

52 and 53 and the angle of their side faces only a light pressure of the spring 58 is needed for holding the clutch engaged and this spring pressure is not sufllcient to produce an objectionable drag or braking effeet at this timebetween the disk 61 and th abutment 10.

It will be noted in connection with the clutch elements 5| and 52 that the teeth 53 are of relatively low height and that their side faces have a relatively low or small slope angle. These teeth are fully effective, when held in meshing engagement by the spring 68. to transmit suiilcient force to oscillate the housing ill but if the housing strikes an obstruction the spring will yield sufficiently to permit the teeth of the clutch element ii to ratchet over the teeth of the clutch element 52. So long as the obstruction exists this ratchet action will continue and will protect the oscillating mechanism from damage or breakage, and when the obstruction is removed the oscillating movement will be immediately resumed.

During the time that the oscillating mechanism is intentionally rendered inefl'ective by disengagement of the clutch element 52 from the clutch element 5|, it is desirable that the housing Ill be prevented from swinging on the pivot 24 so that the housing can be set or maintained at a selected point of the oscillation path for the delivery of air in a desired direction by the fan and motor unit ii. This is accomplished by ineorporating a holding means in the oscillating mechanism 36, and in this instance, the holding means comprises a disk 81 having a lug or detent 68 adapted to engage in a slot or recess 63 of the sleeve portion 54 of the clutch element 52. The disk 61 is disposed around the shaft 41 and also forms a spring plate or seat which is pressed against an annular seat or abutment 10 of the gear case 4! by the spring 58.

When the clutch element 52 is disengaged from the clutch element 5| by the actuating member 60, as above explained, the axial movement of the clutch element 52 causes the recess 69 of the sleeve 54 to engage the lug 68 of the disk 87. The engagement of the sleeve 54 with this lug causes the clutch element 52 to be connected with the disk '1 which then acts as a drag or holding-means for resisting or preventing rotation of the shaft 41. The cooperating surfaces ,of the disk 81 and the seat or abutment III of 'the gear case ll may be of a frictional character so that under the pressure of the spring 58 these surfaces will tend to hold the disk and the clutch element 52 against rotation. When the shaft 41 is thus held against rotation, the crank pin 49 will cooperate with the link 30 for holding the housing In against swinging on the pivot. in either direction.

Although the disk 61 is intended to serve as a holding means for the shaft 41 during the time that the clutch elementsare disengaged. it is desirable that this disk be capable of some slippage on the seat 10 of the gear case. This slip: page of the disk 61 will permit the, housing III to be manually grasped and forciblyv swung on the pivot 24 without any damage being done to the oscillating mechanism. Such manual swinging of the housing is often desirable for the purpose of adjusting the same in a lateral plane so that the fan 34 will deliver its air stream in a desired direction. The frictional engagement of the disk with the seat will cause the housing It to be held in the desired-position or setting 'to which it has been forcibly swung in the manner just described.

- It will also be seen that when the actuating member 60 is rotated in a direction to permit the clutch element 52 to reengage the clutch element Bl, the drive connection for the oscillating mechanism will be established and the oscillating movement of the housing ID will be immediately resumed. If the housing I 0 has been manually swung or adjusted after the clutch element 52 has been disengaged, it is not necessary to return the housing to the position which it occupied at the time of clutch disengagement because the clutch can be reengaged to cause immediate resumption of oscillating movement regardless of the position occupied by the housing at the time the clutch is to be reengaged.

A suitable switch 12 is provided for controlling the electric motor 33 and the heating element II. This switch is located in the housing It and may be mounted on the gear case 4| of the oscillating mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2. An actuating means is provided for the switch in the form of a shaft 74 having a knob 75 located outside of the housing. The switch 12 may be a snap switch of a conventional type having four positions which include an off position for deenergizing both the motor and heating element, a position for energizing the motor alone, and positions for energizing the motor simultaneously with energization of the heating element at either high or low heat.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily understood that the present invention provides an improved construction for an oscillating electric ing within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a device of the character described. a support, a housing pivoted on said support, an electric motor in said housing, a fan connected with said motor to be driven thereby, a reduction gear device in said'housing and connected with said motor to be driven thereby and including a closed gear casing, linkage located in the housing and connected with said support and reduction gear device so as to cause oscillation of said housing, said reduction gear device having a releasable drive connection located in said gear casing and comprising cooperating toothed members one of which is shiftable to engage or disengage the other, a spring in said gear casing tending to hold the teeth of said members in when movement of said housing is obstructed.

and a manually operable member projecting from said housing and also having an actuating portion extending into said gear casing for causing engagement or disengagement of said toothed members.

2. In an electric fan or the like, a fan and motor unit, means mounting said unit for oscillating movement, oscillating mechanism driven by said unit and including a closed gear casing containing gearing and also having therein a rotatable shaft and a pair of cooperating relatively shiftable toothed clutch elements on said shaft, one of said elements being rotatable relative to said shaft and the other being rotatable with said shaft and axially shiftable, a spring in said gear casing acting to cause engagement of said other element with said one element, and a rotatable control member having an eccentric portion extending into said gear casing and engageable with said axially shiftable element for causing disengaging movement thereof.

3. In an electric fan or the like, a fan and motor unit, means mounting said unit for oscillating movement, oscillating mechanism driven by said unit and including a closed gear casing containing gearing and also having therein a rotatable shaft and a pair of cooperating relatively shiftable toothed clutch elements on said shaft, one of said elements being rotatable relative to said shaft and the other being rotatable with said shaft and axially shiftabie, holding means in said gear casing and adapted to be engaged by said other clutch element. for holdin said unit against oscillating movement, "a spring in said gear casing acting to cause said other element to be shifted in a direction to engage said one element: and disengage said holdin means, and a movable control member having a portion extending into said gear casing and engageable with said other element for shifting the same in the opposite direction and adapted to hold said other element disengaged from said one element and in engagement with said holda ing means.

4. In a device of the character described, a fan and motor unit, pivot means mounting said unit for oscillating movement, oscillating mechanism operably connected with said unit and including a closed gear casing containing rotatable shaft and a pair of clutch elements, one of said clutch elements being rotatab e relative to said shaft and the other clutch element being rotatable with said shaft and axially shiftable, a. fixed abutment in said gear casing, a holding member engaging said abutment, a spring in said gear casing acting to press said holding member against said abutment and urge said shiftable clutch element toward said one clutch element, and means extending into said gear casing for actuating said shiftable clutch element so as to disenga e said one clutch element and engage said holding memher, said abutment and holding members providing a frictional slip connection which permits said unit to be manually swung on said pivot means to a desired setting.

5. In an electric fan or the like, a fan and motor unit, means mounting said unit for oscillating movement, oscillating mechanism driven by said unit and including a rotatable shaft and a pair of cooperating relatively shiftable toothed clutch elements thereon, one of said elements bein rotatable relative to said shaft and the other being rotatable with said shaft and axially shiftable, holding means in said oscillating mechanism and adapted to be engaged by said other clutch element for holding said unit against oscillating movement, a spring acting to cause said other element to be shifted in a direction to engage said one element and disengage said holding means, and a movable control member having a portion engageable with said other element for shifting the same in the opposite direction and adapted to hold said other element disengaged from said one element and in engagement with said holding means, said other clutch element having a sleeve portion provided with a recess one of said clutch elements being rotatable relative to said shaft and the other clutch element being rotatable with said shaft and axially shiftable, a fixed abutment, a holding member engaging said abutment, a spring acting to press said holding member against said abutment and urge said shiftable clutch element toward said one clutch element, and means for actuating said shiftable clutch element so as to disengage said one clutch element and engage said holding memher, said abutment and holding members providing a slip connection which permits said unit to be manually swung on said pivot means to a desired setting, said shiftable clutch element having an annular portion provided with a recess and said holding member being a disk disposed around said shaft and having a detent engageable in said recess.

LEE B. GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,125,685 Greenberg et a1 Jan. 19, 1915 1,289,412 Diig Dec. 31, 1918 1,517,168 Rogers Nov. 25, 1924 1,688,052 Marsden Oct. 16, 1928 2.210.865 Gough Aug. 6, 1940