US2535772A - Humidifier - Google Patents

Description

w. J. WOOLLE-Y HUMIDIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1946 ynne.

1 any; 35.

W. J. WOOLLEY Dec. 26, 1950 HUMIDIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMIDIFIER William J. Woolley, Chicago, 111.

Application March 4, 1946, Serial No. 651,722

12 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a humidifier and particularly to a humidifying device designed for assembly with an ordinary steam radiator, riser, pipe, or other pertinent part of a steam heating, distribution, or supplying system in place of the ordinary air exhaust valve.

More particularly the present invention relates to a device which when assembled with a steam radiator will uniformly emit steam or steam saturated with water vapor into the air of a room in greater or lesser amounts, depending upon the steam pressure in the radiator. Although it has heretofore been proposed to assemble various devices with a steam radiator for the purpose of supplying humidity to the steamheated room, in general these devices have been rather complex and were not suitably designed to function both as a humidifier and as an air outlet valve. Furthermore, the flow of steam through these devices was not regular and silent and no means were provided in these prior art devices to vary the amount of moisture, in the form of steam vapor, which was fed in accordance with the steam pressure. As may readily be understood when a greater amount of steam is supplied to a heating system of the character described so that greater pressures are built up in the system and radiators, it becomes necessary to supply a greater amount of moisture to the air of t e room being heated.

It is one of the obects of the pres nt invention, therefore, to provide a novel steam outlet device which will supply steam, and/or steam in admixture with wat r vapor, to the air of a room being heated by the radiator to which the outlet device is attached.

A second object of the pre ent invention is to provide an improved humidifier device consisting of an outlet valve structure desi ned to be assembled with an ordinary steam radiator and which will uniformly feed steam from the radiator at a rate increasing with the'pressure of t e steam in the radiator.

A third object-of the nr-sent invention is the provision of a humidifier device including a chamber having a lower compartment connected with a steam radiator and outl t means for said compartment including a valve structure adapted to be opened and closed in ac ordance with an increase and decrease of steam pressure in the chamber and radiator.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a novel connecting means for a humidifier chamber and the interior of a radiator, said connecting means functioning both as an outlet for condensed water from the chamber to the radiator and an inlet for steam from the radiator to the chamber.

A fifth object of the present invention is to provide in a humidifier device a structure comprising two superimposed chambers and means inter-connecting the chambers so that the outlet of steam from the lower chamber to the upper chamber may be regulated in accordance with the pressure in the lower chamber, the upper chamber being provided with means to muliie the sound of escaping steam.

A sixth object of the present invention is to provide in a humidifier device, means to eifectivel regulate the outlet of steam from said device, said means being manually adjustable to vary the response of the regulating means to pressure within said device.

A seventh object of the present invention is to provide in a novel humidifying device a regulating means capable of regulating the flow 'of steam from said device and at the same time preventing steam egress from the device when the device is flooded with condensation water.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a humidifying device attachable to any desired part of a steam heating system for supplying steam and/0r water vapor therefrom to the surrounding atmosphere as desired, while completely eliminating the normal water spitting action of prior humidifiers and air outlet valves.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and figures of the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the humidifier device, of the instant invention, in assembly with a steam radiator;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are opposite horizontal end views taken substantially on the lines 3-3 and 44, respectively, in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of disk members in the structure of a mufiier constituting a part of the humidifier and through which steam or water vapor is discharged into the atmosphere;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line t-6 of Fig. 2 and illustrating an auxiliary part of the mufller structure;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a tongue-shaped baflie member which serves to divide the inlet passage of the device into steam and water passages;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line --9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line ibi8 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the figures of the drawing and particularly Figures 1 and 2 thereof, the humidifier of the present invention is indicated generally at [0. This humidifier includes an elongated tubular structure H connected to a radiator indicated at E2 as by a nipple i3. It may be noted that the nipple l3 is adapted to be inserted in a radiator in place of the usual air outlet valve. The tubular casing H is divided into two chambers I l and 55 by a depending cup it, which depends from the upper edge of the casing ii, and has a generally kettleshape of lesser diameter than the tubular casing ll, so as to be more or less completely surrounded by heating fluid within the lower chamber it. Preferably the cup I6 is formed from a relatively thin highly conducting metal such as copper or brass. The upper chamber l5 thus superimposed upon the lower chamber id is exposed to heat within the chamber [4 so that any water condensing in the upper chamber or delivered thereto will be vaporized instantaneously so as to eliminate the normal water spitting action of prior art humidifiers and air outlet valves.

The lower wall of the cup i6 is provided with a valve fitting indicated at ll, provided with a lower port 18 having a conical section is adapted to receive the conical section 2B of a needle 2!. A port 22 leads from the needle valve structure just described to a ball valve indicated in general at 23 and including a ball 24 and an outlet port 25. The needle 2! is fixed to the upper end of a float 26 of a relatively heavy gauge rigid material, the float including an air chamber 21 and a depending skirt 28 separated from the air chamber Z'l as by a partition 29. The partition 29 is provided with a central, upwardly extending, cylindrical indentation 39 which functions as a seat for a cylindrical stud 33 on the upper end of a bellows 3i and has straight vertical walls coacting with the stud 33 to guide relative movements of. the float 2B and the bellows 31.

The bellows Si is of the conventional Sylphon type and is capable of being compressed or shortened when the pressure on the exterior of the bellows is greater than on the interior of the bellows. The lower end of the bellows 35 is fastened to a rod 32 which is threadedly received within a bushing 34 soldered or otherwise suitably aflixeol to the bottom wall 35 of the tubular chamber ii. The lower end of the rod 32 extends through a packing gland projecting from the lower end of the bushing 34 and including a nut 36 which is capable of being moved vertically to compress the packing 3'5 within the gland. The ex reme lower end of the rod 32 is provided with a knob 33 attached to the rod 32 as by a hollow screw 39. The rod 32 is provided with an interior bore Ml communicating with the bore 4| in the hollow screw at one end and with the interior of the bellows 3! at the other end.

iii)

The nipple it which connects the chamber l4 with the radiator i2 is provided with a battle and 4? which provide shoulders to prevent axial movement of the battle when assembled within the nipple IS. The end of the slot 43 terminates a short distance beyond the inner projections 16, 4? in a downwardly turned tongue portion 48. The radiator end of the baffle 42 is also provided with a downwardly turned lip 58. As shown in Figures 2 and 8 the downwardly turned tongue portion '33 is substantially narrower than the interior bore of the nipple l3 and is spaced inwardly a short distance therefrom so as to provide a pair of ports on opposite sides for the return flow of condensation water from the chamber 14 to the radiator, the tongue 48 thus functioning to stimulate such bleeding action. It will be noted further that the downwardly turned portion 48 is of the width of the slot 43 and in the manufacture of the baflie member 42 the tongue portion 48 is preferably struck downwardly during the formation of the slot 43.

The general purpose of the baiiie member 42 is to divide the interior bore of the nipple [3 into an upper steam inlet portion for steam flow from the radiator into the chamber i i, and a lower water outlet portion for condensation water. The downwardly turned lip 56 facilitates the separation of the condensation water flowing out and the steam flowing into the bore of the nipple 13, as shown in Figure 2. The bafiie member 42 is formed of sufficiently flexible metal to permit the compression of the same and the entry of the outer projecting portions 46 and 51 into the bore within the nipple [3 during assembly. The distance between the projecting portions 46 and is such that the projecting portions bear on the ends of the nipple [3. In its expanded width the baffle member 42 is as wide as the diameter of the interior bore of the nipple I3 so that the baffle member fits snugly within the nipple and is selflocked therein. This baffle 42 is essential to produce the desired return flow of condensation water through the nipple it from chamber It to the radiator while steam is flowing therethrough in the opposite direction, since in nipples of the very small diameter of that herein used such outward flow of steam therethrough will prevent the opposite flow of water at the same time if the balile is not employed.

The upper chamber I5 is provided at its upper end with a muffler structure which is adapted to retard and muffle the sound of steam emission. The muffler structure comprises a series of central plates 5!, 52, 53 and 54 shown assembled in Figure 2 and individually in Figure 5. This mufiier structure preferably also includes a member 55 of asbestos cloth or other suitable material having an upright cylindrical wall 58 and a central bottom wall 51 pervious to air or steam. This member 55 may be omitted from the structure when the humidifier is used on connection with systems employing relatively low steam pressures. However, the inclusion thereof has been found to be an advantage when the humidifier is used in systems employing higher pressures, as for example, greater than 3 to 5 pounds per square 751a]: gasket 59 disposed between the lower edge of the plate 5| and an outwardly turned circular flange 66 of the cup-like wall member |6, are arranged in superimposed relation upon the upper end of the cylindrical chamber II where they are clamped tightly into assembly by an annular threaded member 6| turned upon a threaded ring 62. The threaded ring 62 is welded or other wise suitably secured about an upper external peripheral portion of the Wall of the chamber Referring to Figure 5 the plate 5| will be seen to have a single opening or hole 63 at its center, the plate 52 to have a plurality of holes 64 spaced regularly outwardly from the center, the plate 53 to have a single opening 65 at its center considerably larger than the opening 63 of the plate 5|, and the plate 54 to have a plurality of openings 66 spaced regularly outwardly from its center within a crown or a raised central portion 61 of this plate. Accordingly the plates when assembled in the stack or pile arrangement, illustrated in Figure 2, present openings in staggered or unaligned relation whereby the steam discharged through the openings therein is caused to follow a tortuous interstitial path illustrated by the arrows in Figure 5.

The plates 5 l, 52 and 53 are resilient and therefore displaceable axially of the device to facilitate their being spread apart slightly by the steam forcing its way therebetween for eventual discharge through the openings 66 in the plate 55. All of the parts are preferably made of a material such as copper, brass or the like which is not readily corrosive by the action of the air and steam. Inasmuch as the rate at which the steam can escape through the muliler is diminished by the tortuous path which it must follow between the plates, the noise resulting from the passage of tl'isteain is mufiled. Further, since the opening 65 is larger in diameter than the opening 63 there will be a pressure reduction at the opening 65 resulting in a less rapid rush of steam through this opening and consequently lessening the noise due to steam passage therethrough. The space between the mufiler plate 53 and the crown 61 of the upper plate 54 cushions the vibrations incurred by steam escaping from the opening 65 to diminish the amplitude of sound waves thus produced. This muflling effect is augmented by the fact that the steam is discharged from the space between the crown 51 and the pate 53 through a plurality of openings 66 out of alignment with the opening 65 whereby such sound waves are dispersed so that no hissing sound occurs.

The rate of flow of steam through the humidifier is determined by the flow rate through the port IS in the valve member When the needle 2| is moved upwardly toward the seat l9 So that the conical portion 29 bears against the seat IS the needle valve structure is closed completely. However, any movement of the needle 2| upwardly tends to diminish the flow through the passage 8. The needle 2| can be moved upwardly either by the float 26 being lifted due to an excess of water in the chamber I4 or by the expansion of the Sylphon bellows 3|. Because the float 26 however is a relatively rigid structure any expansion of the Sylphon bellows 3| is transmitted directly to the needle 2|. There is therefore provided a pressure responsive device for controlling the position of the valve needle 2|, this pressure responsive device responding to any differential in pressure between the chamber i4 and/or the radiator l2, and the exterior of the chamber Hi. When a greater amount of steam is supplied to the radiator and the pressure with in the radiator and thechamber l4 rises, the bellows 3| will be compressed or shortened and the needle 2| will be lowered to allow more steam to escape through the port I8.

The purpose of the ball 24 above the port 22 is to immediately prevent the passage of air from the upper chamber l5 and the exterior of the device into the lower chamber l4 and the radiator when the so-called vacuum condition begins to develop. Such a valve alone, however, is not dependable, since although it will hold sufficiently to start a vacuum, it may not retain it; but the resulting expansion of the bellows 3| by atmospheric pressure, due to the reduced pressure in the heating system under such circumstances, will raise the float 26 to cause the needle 2| to close the valve port |9. It will be noted that preferably the vertical position of the bellows 3| is such that the needle 2| will open th port at least slightly to permit exit of air when heat is first supplied to the radiator 12. The present device therefore may be substituted for the conventional air outlet valve. The action of the device however differs substantially from that of the ordinary air outlet valv since it permits the escape of steam to provide a humidifying action. On the contrary, the ordinary outlet valve closes to prevent emission of steam during the actual heat cycle of the radiator.

The knob 38 in the present device when rotated will serve to raise or lower the lower end of the Sylphon bellows 3|. By this means any greater or lesser amount of steam may b emitted from the present humidifier irrespective of the pressure conditions within the radiator. However, at any given setting of the knob 38 the amount of steam emitted will be varied in accordance with the pressure changes within the radiator and the chamber l4.

When the chamber l4 receives vapor at relatively low pressure and temperature so that such vapor condenses rapidly therein, the excessive condensation water so accumulated will raise the float 26 to cause the needle 2| to throttle the valve passage l8 and thus decelerate the admission of steam into the chamber |4 until the condensation water is discharged back into the radiator at a rate at least equal to that at which the steam is being condenser in said chamber.

I claim:

1. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber, means connect-.ng said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, outlet means for said chamber to permit steam to flow therefrom for humidifying purposes, means responsiv to the pressure diiierential between the interior of said chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steam through said outlet when the steam pressure in said radiator and said chamber increases, and means to regulate the operative effect of a given pressure differential upon said 'last mentioned means.

2. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber, means connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, outlet means for said chamber to permit steam to flow therefrom for humidifying purposes, and means responsive to the pressure differential between the interior of said chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steam through said outlet when the steam pressure in 7 said chamber and radiator increases, said last mentioned means including a bellows positioned in said chamber and having its interior communicating with the exterior of said chamber.

3. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber, means connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, outlet means for said chamber to permit steam to flow therefrom for humidifying purposes including a valve, means including a bellows connected to said valve to increase the rate of flow of steam through said outlet inrespons to any increase in steam pressure in said radiator and chamber, and means to adjust the position of said bellows to vary the effect of said bellows on said valve.

4. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber, means for connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, an outlet for steam at the upper end of said chamber, a valve regulating the flow of steam through said outlet, a bellows having one of its ends fixed at the lower end of said chamber, means to connect the interior of said bellows to the exterior of said chamber so that an increase in pressure in the interior of said chambeand radiator will contract said bellows, and relatively rigid con necting means between the upper end of said be1- lows and said Valve so that contraction of said bellows will increase the flow of steam through said valve.

5. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber, means for connecting said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, an outlet for steam at the upper end of said chamber, a valve re ulating the flow of stain through said outlet, a bellows having one of its ends fixed at the lower end of said chamber, means to connect the interior of said bellows to the exter or of said chamber so that an increase in pressure in the interior of said and radiator Jill contract said bellows, reatltlly rigid conns t. g means between the upper end of said bellows and said valve so that contraction oi bellows will increase the flow of steam through said valve, and manual means to vary the vertical position of said bellows so as to regulate the cperati e effect of said bellows on said valve responsive to a given change in. pressure in said chamber.

6. he device of claim 5 wherein the relati ely rigid connecting means is a float connected to said valve to close the same upon excess accumulation of condensation water in said chamber.

7. A humidifier device comprising a char'ber including a heat-conducting wall dviding such chamber into superposcd compartments, there being an inlet opening for the lower compartment, an outlet opening for the upper compartment and a passage in said wall between said compartments, one-way flow valve means associated with said passage to prevent baci; flow through said passage from the upper conip3rtment to the lower compartment, a second valve means associated with said passage and ustable to control the flow rate therethrough, a pressure-responsive device of the SyEphon type disposed in. the lower compartment with its ends in vertical alignment, a float connected with one end of said pressure-responsive device, means connecting said end of the device with said valve for modifying the adjustment thereof in accordance with the elevation of said end of the device,

settable means connected with the opposite end of said pressure-responsive device and manipulatasle to change the elevation thereof, sa.d set table means extending outwardly through said chamber and containing a channel providing communication between the interior of the pressure-responsive device and the exterior of the chamber.

8. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a pair of superposed chambers, means for connecting the lower of said chambers with the radiator to supply steam to said lower chamber at approximately radiator pressure, connecting means for connecting said upper and lower chambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifying purposes, means responsive to the pressure differential between the interior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steam through said connecting means when the steam pressure in said radiator and lower chamber increases, and an out-et including muiliing means for steam at the upper end of said upper chamber.

9. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a chamber, means connecting the lower end of said chamber with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, said connecting means being divided by a baffle into an upper steam-conducting means and a lower water outlet means, steam outlet means at the upper end of said chamber, and means responsive to the pressure differential between the interior of said chamber and the am-- bient atmosphere to increase the flow through said steam outlet means when the steam pressure in said radiator and chamber increases.

19. A humidifier for a steam radiator or the like, comprising a pair of superimposed chambers, means for connecting the lower of said chambers with the radiator to supply steam to said lower chamber at approximately radiator pressure, connecting means for connecting said upper and lower chambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifying purposes, means responsive to the pressure differential be-- tween the interior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steam through said connecting means when the steam pressure in said radiator and lower chamber increases, and an outlet includinga plurality of muiiiing means and a pervious diaphragm to reduce the flow of steam through said outlet upon an excess of steam pressure, said outlet being positioned at the upper end of said upper chamber.

11. A humidifier device for steam heating systerns, comprising a pair of superimposed chambers, means for connecting the lower of said chambers with a steam heating system to supply steam to said lower chamber at approximately the pressure in said system to heat the upper of said chambers, steam outlet means for connecting said upper and lower chambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifying purposes, and means responsive to the pressure differential between the interior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to control the flow or" steam through said outlet means into said upper chamber, whereby any water thereby carried through said outlet means will be vaporized immediately by contact with said heated upper chamber to prevent spitting of water therefrom into the surrounding atmosphere.

12. A humidifier for a steam radiator, or the like, comprising a pair of supei imposed chambers,

means for connecting the lower of said chambers with the radiator to supply steam to said chamber at approximately radiator pressure, connecting means for connecting said upper and lower chambers to permit steam to flow from the latter for humidifying purposes, means responsive to the pressure differential between the interior of said lower chamber and the ambient atmosphere to increase the flow of steam through said connecting means when the steam pressure in said radiator and lower chamber increases, whereby any water thereby carried through said connecting means will be vaporized immediately by contact with said heated upper chamber to prevent spitting of water therefrom into the surrounding atmosphere, and an outlet positioned at the upper end of said upper chamber including an exhaust muflier comprising a series of laterally bendable resilient plates, each of said plates being provided with an exhaust opening arrangement, the exhaust Openings in each plate being laterally spaced from the exhaust openings in each adjacent plate, certain of said plates having the exhaust opening arrangement in the center thereof and another next adjacent plate having its exhaust opening arrangement at a point spaced from the center thereof, and means for maintaining the edges of said plates in rigid sealed assembly so that the interior opposed face portions of adjacent plates are in contiguous relation while they are relaxed.

WILLIAM J. WOOLLEY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 750,582 Brennan Jan. 26, 1904 993,250 Wheatley Nov. 10, 1908 1,132,009 Hoffman Mar. 16, 19 5 1,229,43 Flockhart June 12, 1917 1,365,284 Shepherd Jan. 11, 1921 1,981,365 Macdonald Nov. 20, 1934 2,073,915 Willis Mar. 16, 1937 2,111,437 Skilbeck Mar. 15, 1938 2,112,211 Parks Mar. 22,. 1938 2,395,512 Skilbeck Feb. 26, 1946

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