US2499308A - Oil-burning heater - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1950 Filed Dec. 4, 1944 o. c. GRIEWANK 2,499,308

OIL BURNING HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet l M F/QZ W H1 l H O p l l l lllll 55 0 l l ill a I In ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 28, 1950 o. c. GRIEWANK 2,499,311

OIL BURNING HEATER Filed Dec. 4, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O 770 C. 62/5 WA /Y/ IN VEN TOR.

c m MW ATTOENE Y5.

Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL-BURNING HEATER Otto C. Griewank, La Porte, Ind. Application December 4, 1944, Serial No. 566,516 7 Claims. (Cl. 126-93) This invention relates to improvements in oil burning heaters.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple, economical, trouble-free and inexpensive device of this character.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which operates at a very high degree of efficiency.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the formation of carbon residue from the burning of oil is much lower than in conventional oil burning heaters.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is constructed to produce turbulence in the combustion zone for the purpose of improving the efficienoy of combustion.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with a fuel distributor and vaporizer at its fuel intake which is constructed and arranged relative to the fuel inlet to insure against clogging of the inlet by the carbon residue of combustion.

A further object is to provide a device which distributes heat both upwardly by convection and laterally outwardly for a substantial distance at a low level by radiation.

Other objects will be apparent from the description.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of the device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of the distributor ring.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the numeral Ill designates a cylindrical housing member open at its lower end and having an access opening ll adjacent its lower end adapted to be closed by a door H which is hingedly or otherwise suitably mounted. A bottom panel l3 spans the bottom open end of cylindrical housing l and has an upturned marginal flange 14 which fits around housing It! and is circumferentially stepped at l to support the bottom edge of said housing. Panel l3 has a central opening defined by an upturned collar or sleeve 16. A pair of concentric downwardly ofi-set dished portions are formed in panel l3, the larger dished portion I1 preferably being of a. diameter slightly greater than one-half of the diameter of the housing l0 and being circumferentially stepped at l8 at its margin, and the inner dished portion i9 being of a diameter approximately one-third of the diameter of housing ill.

The housing is supported upon a base comprising a base panel 20, a marginal upturned flange 2! of approximately the same diameter as housing Iii which engages the bottom panel l3 at stepped portion l5, and a plurality of supporting legs 22. Base panel 20 has a central opening therein defined by an upturned sleeve 23 having a snug fit at its upper end within the sleeve [6 of panel 13.

An elongated tube 24 fits snugly at its lower end around the sleeve 16 of base panel I3, whereby it extends vertically in communication with the opening in the bottom of the device. Tube 24 is provided with a plurality of small uniformly spaced apertures 25 throughout substantially its full extent. A head is mounted on the upper end of tube 24 and comprises an apertured cupshaped concentric part 26 and an imperforate cover plate 21. Part 26 has a plurality of circumferential series of uniformly spaced small apertures 28 therein adjacent its outer periphery. For best results, the apertures 28 are formed at and adjacent that portion of part 26 at which the substantially cylindrical marginal flange 29 thereof merges with the laterally extending portion, so that said apertures face downwardly and outwardly from said head. The head is of a diameter substantially one-half that of housing In.

A cylindrical sleeve member 30 encircles the lower end of tube 24, having a diameter to fit snugly at the stepped portion l8 of bottom panel l3. Member 30 is of a length slightly less than one-half of the length of tube 24. An annular plate 3l'fits on the upper end of member 30 and cooperates therewith to define an inverted cup-' shaped member, the opening 32 in said plate being of a diameter slightly greater than tube 24 to provide a restricted annular opening between said tube and plate.

An annular distributor ring 33 fits in the central off-set 19 of bottom panel l3. As here illustrated, the ring is of curved shape in cross section. It fits around tube 24 with only a slight annular clearance 33' in the order of one-eighth of an inch. An oil feed line 34, provided with a suitable control valve (not shown), extends substantially horizontally intothe off-set l9 and ter minates therein spaced from tube 24. Ring 33 is cut away at 35 to fit around said oil line. Also, the lower outer margin is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced slots or notches 36 to permit passage of fuel oil therethrough.

An annular smoke passage defined by an annular base 31, an inner cylindrical wall 38, the housing It) and the housing cover 39, is provided. at the upper end of housing If]. The base 3'! has an opening 40 therein for entry of the products of combustion into said passage, and a vertical radial partition 4| is provided alongside of said opening. The housing has an'opening defined by flange 42 adjacent to opening 40 but separated therefrom by partition 4|. A smoke pipe 43 fits around flange 42 and communicates with the interior of the annular smoke passage.

It will be observed that three concentric spaces or zones, each having a restricted outlet, are -provided in the device. One of these isdeflned by distributor ring 33 and serves as a starting and vaporizing zone. The second is defined by "the sleeve 36 and annular plate lowfire zone. The thirdor high fire zone is defined by housing If) and head 26, 21.

To start the burner, oil is fed ata low rate through-line 34 into the cup-shaped depression Hi. The oil is permitted to flow through the distributorring slots36 into the portion of depression- -|9 exteriorly'of the distributor ring. Consequently, combustion can be'initiated by dropping a burning match or brand through the opening 32 of plate 3|. it heats the distributor ring until the latter reaches atemperature adequate to vaporize the oil within the ring. This vapor is uniformly discharged through the central opening in the distributor ring around the tube' 24 into the intermediate combustionzone. It is important to note that initial combustion, which is relatively inefiicient and characterized by carbon formation, occurs exteriorly of the distributor ring 33. Consequently, the carbon resulting from incomplete and-inefficient combustion is deposited exteriorly of ring 33 and cannot clog the oil line 34 which terminates within said ring.

. Air' entering the'device through the opening I6 in-panel I3 and 23 in base 2|] and the tube 24 is discharged from tube 24 through apertures 25 and supports combustion of the vaporized fuel. At a low'rate of fuel supply, combustion will occur at and-immediately above the distributor ring. Combustion -'is characterized 'by outwardly directed tongues of flame at each of the apertures 25=within the zone of combustion, that is, at all radii of the'device within a limited verticaldi mention-or section of tube '24. As the rate of fuel supply isincreased step-by-step, the amount of fuel vapor increases proportionally, and the size of-the flame likewise increases proportionally. Also, the combustion occurs at a higher elevation in the=device. When the upper range of the rate of fuel supply is approached, the restriction ofthe outlet opening 32 of the intermediate combustion zone automatically causes combustion to occur'in the-upper zone, 1. e., above plate 3| Combustion will then occur both at the apertures 25 of tube :24 and at the apertures '28 of heads 26, 27. However, since the discharge of air from apertures 28 is downwardly and outwardly, a turbulence results. This produces a high efficiency of combustion, characterized by a very low rate of formation of soot and carbon residue, because the fuel vapors are-subjected to two sources of air and this factor, coupled with the turbulence which effectively mixes the vapors and air, produces substantially complete combustion. Stated differently, allv products of combustion 3| and serves as a 'As the oilburns in depression I!) -when combustion occurs within must pass around the head 26, 2'! for discharge to the smoke passage, and hence are subjected di-.

"erties and efliciency. This radiant heating effect is enhanced at its low rate of combustion by the intermediate combustion zone. In other words, sleeve 30 at a low rate of fuel feed as described above, the restriction at 32 to the products of combustion serves to heat the sleeve 30 and itscover 3| and thereby facilitate radiant distribution of heat.

-Temperature readings taken at different levels of housing |0 at different rates of fuel supply, disclose that, at-low rates of fuel supply, the lower portionof the housing is hotter than the upper portion. As the rate of fuel supply increases, the temperatures at different levels increase and tendto equalize. At the highest rate of fuel supply, the upper portion of the housing ID becomes slightly hotter thanthe lowest portion thereof. As aresult of this and possibly other factors, heat is distributed by the'device ina wide area around the device. Of greater'importance, however, is the fact that the heat-isdistributed at a low level. Thus, when the device-is'operating at and above its intermediate rate of fuel supply, a person standing as far as twelve or fifteen feet from the device experiences a heating efiectat ankle level andabove. -To the best of myinformation, such results of 'low level-heat distribution have never been achieved with space heaters heretofore.

When-the parts areproperly:proportioned, substantially as illustrated and described, the device will operate efiiciently'on natural draft at'a low fuelfeedor low-fire setting. Also, the fuel burns witha yellow-flame which is characteristic of maximum combustion efliciency.

The ratiosof theareas'of the discharge passages 33'36, 32, and between head 2'! and housing; m to-the volumes oftheir respective combustionand vaporizingzones, i.e., within ring 33, within chamber 30, 3|, and beneath head 21, respectively, should-be approximately equal for best results in achieving good combustion and radiant heat distribution.

I claim:

1. An oil burning heatencomprisinga vertical housing having top, side and bottom walls, with a central air'intake-opening through its bottom wall and a smoke outlet, a vertical: apertured tube in vsaid ehousing communicating with said intake opening and closed at its top, a centrally apertured inverted cup-shaped-distributor ring resting on the bottom of the housing encircling thebottom portion of said tube to define-an annular vaporizing space having a restricted annular outlet between 'said ring and said tube,

the lower marginal portion of said distributor ring being notched, and means for discharging oil into said vaporizingspace.

2; An-oil burning heatercomprising a vertical housing, including a base having a central air intake-opening and a concentric dishedportion around said-opening, a vertical apertured tube in; said housingv communicating with said intake opening and-closed at its stop, an annularxin verted dished distributing member fitting in said dished portion to define an annular vaporizing space having a restricted annular outlet between said ring and tube, and means for discharging oil into said vaporizing space said distributing member being of radially curved shape with its inner periphery of slightly larger diameter than said tube and its outer periphery notched to accommodate fiow of oil outwardly thereof into said dished portion.

3. An oil burning heater comprising a vertical housing having a bottom provided with a central opening and a concentric annular dished portion around said opening, a vertical tube in said housing communicating with said opening and having a multiplicity of apertures therein throughout substantially its full extent, an enlarged hollow head mounted on and communieating with the upper end of said tube and positioned within and cooperating with said housing to define a restricted annular discharge passage for a combustion space within said housing and around said tube, a dome-like distributor ring fitting in said dished portion to define a vaporizing space having a restricted discharge passage around and partly defined by said tube and a discharge opening in its lower marginal portion, said head having downwardly and outwardly facing apertures uniformly spaced around its lower outer portion.

4. An oil burning heater comprising a vertical housing having a base with a central opening and a concentric annular dished portion around said opening, a vertical apertured tube in said housing communicating with said opening, an enlarged head within said housing mounted on and closing the top of said tube and cooperating with said housing to define a restricted annular discharge passage for a combustion zone in said housing around said tube and below the level of said head, a sleeve member mounted on said base coaxial with said tube to define a second and smaller combustion zone around the lower end portion of said tube, said sleeve member having a clearance with said tube providing a restricted outlet, means for supplying oil to said dished portion, and a ring cooperating with said dished portion and said tube to form a vaporizing chamber within and at the bottom of said second combustion zone having a restricted annular discharge passage between said tube and said ring.

5. An oil burning space heater comprising a vertical housing having a base with a central opening and a concentric annular dished portion around said opening, a vertical apertured tube in said housing communicating with said opening, an enlarged head within said housing mounted on and closing the top of said tube and cooperating with said housing to define a restricted annular discharge passage for the space in said housing below the level of said head and around said tube which constitutes a combustion zone, a sleeve member mounted on said base coaxial with said tube to define a second and smaller combustion zone around the lower end of said tube, said sleeve member having a clearance with said tube providing a restricted outlet, means for supplying oil to said dished portion, a distributor ring fitting in said dished portion and within said sleeve member, said head having openings for uniformly discharging air around said head in a downward outward direction.

6. An oil burning space heater comprising a vertical housing having a central air intake opening at its bottom, a vertical apertured tube in said housing communicating with said opening and having an enlarged head positioned within and cooperating with said housing to define a combustion zone around said tube and a restricted annular outlet from said zone, means within said zone defining a second smaller combustion zone around the lower end portion of said tube having a restricted annular discharge passage around said tube, means for feeding oil onto the bottom of said housing adjacent said tube, and an inverted dished distributor ring mounted on the bottom of the housing in said second zone in which said oil is vaporized, said ring distributing the vapor uniformly around said tube and discharging the vapor through an annualr passage between the tube and the ring.

7. An oil burning space heater comprising a vertical housing having a central air intake opening at its bottom, a vertical apertured tube in said housing communicating with said opening and having an enlarged head positioned within and cooperating with said housing to define a combustion zone around said tube and a restricted annular outlet from said zone, said head having an annular series of openings in its lower outer portion, means within said zone and below said head defining a second smaller combustion zone around the lower end portion of said tube having a restricted annular discharge passage around and partly defined by said tube, a dome-like distributing ring bearing on the bottom of the housing within said second zone and encircling said tube with a small clearance to define a vaporizing chamber around the base of said tube and a restricted annular discharge passage between said ring and said tube, and means for feeding oil into said distributor ring adjacent said tube.

OTTO C. GRIEWANK.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 167,684 Nystrom Sept. 14, 1875 473,858 Stacey Apr. 26, 1892 1,452,563 Lewis Apr. 24, 1923 1,597,027 Egloff Aug. 24, 1926 1,806,566 Sturgis May 19, 1931 1,840 137 Sturgis Jan. 5, 1932 2,020,777 Gore Nov. 12, 1935 2,039,591 Gilmore et al. May 5, 1936 2,065,265 Bock Dec. 22, 1936 2,091,658 Sturgis Aug. 31, 1937 2,128,155 McPherson Aug. 23, 1938 2,136.317 Rialdini Nov. 8, 1938 2,184,653 Sherrick et a1 Dec. 26, 1939 2,257,834 Beehee Oct. 7, 1941 2,262,922 Castle et a1 Nov, 18, 1941 2,290,544 DeLancey July 21, 1942 2,326,221 Hill Aug. 10, 1943 2,357,587 Hammell Sept. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 828,121 France Feb. 7, 1988

Images