US2540191A - Draft control - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1951 c. w. EAKIN 2,540,191

DRAFT coumor.

Filed July 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Gar Z219 in Attorney Patented Feb. 6, 1951 i 1 DRAFT CONTROL Curtis W. Eakin, Kennerdell, Pa. 4 g I Application July 15, 1949, Serial No. 104,945

This invention relates to -a novel automatic damper for controlling the draft from. a stove :or other heating or cooking unit and will auto- .matically restrict the outlet therethrough'to the chimney or stack as the suction in the stack or chimney increases. 7 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a draft control of extremely simple construction .and which may be manually adjusted to render it extremely sensitive to variations in the-suction in a chimney or stack and which sensitivity of which will substantially eliminate the esca e of heat from a heating unit causing substantially all of the heat therefrom to be radiated into the enclosure to be heated thereby and which will react to even slight changes of the draft or suction in a chimney or stack.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a draft control or automatic damper substantially all of the parts of which are enclosed yet which may be readily opened forinspection, adjustment or cleaning and which is provided with a minimum of moving parts.

Still another object of the invention is to pro} vide an automatic damper or draft control hav- :ing braking means for checking the movement thereof to prevent a moving part thereof from striking the control easingand'causing a noise or vibration to thereby provide a; control which will be noiseless and'which will cause no vibra- 'tion in operation.

Various other objects and advantages of invention'will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustratin presentlypreferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figured is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing the draftcontrol or automatic d'arnp'erfinterposed ina flue or chimney; Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view thereof taken substantiallv along a plane as indicated by the line 22v of Figure 1;'

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view 01' the parts taken at a right angle to Figure'2. and substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-;3 of Figure 2; l

in d meme-sectional viewe'oithe p .,1 v z Claims. (01. 236. 45).

draft control: or. automatic damper taken sub.- stantially along planes as indicated by the lines 4 4 and 5- 5, respectively; of Figure 3, and

Figure-6 is a' fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a slightly modified form of the invention. 1

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the automatic draft control or damper constituting-the invention and'as illustrated in Figures ,1 to 5, is designated generally and includesa housing designated generally 8, which is substantially rectangular in cross section; as best illustrated in Figures'4 and 5. The housing 8 is sub stantially wider in one direction than in the other in cross section and the opposite wall por tions 9 and I0 thereof which are spaced the greater distance apartare provided with rounded inwardly curved complementary end'portions II which merge with the more a'diacently disposed opposite side walls -l2-.an d I3; Extensions of said merging portions-Hand the side walls I 2 and Iii-provide integral nipples-or sleeve portions 14 and I5 which project from the lower and upper ends, respectively, 'of the housing 8 for receiving thereon sections [6 and ell-constituting adjacent ends of sections of a flue or chimney for intere posing the housing 8 therein. The lower nipple constitutes the inlet endiof the automatic damper or draft control-l and the uppernipple I5, the outlet end-thereofx L The housing *8 is provided with an internal shell l8'including, an upper a'rcuate portion l9 which extends generally toward the walls 9 and land which is upwardly bowed so as to be dis.- I

posed substantially": concentric. with the] upper wall portions 1 l andbeneath'and spaced fror'nzthe outlet nipple 15:1; The innr fshell I 8 also includes a dependingtwallflll; whichlfis spaced from and disposed 'substantiallyiiparallel' to the wall 9 and the upper end of which". formsa continuationzof one end of the arcuate upper'shell portion I 9 and the other end of which-terminates above and spaced from the 'l'ower inwardly bowed portion 1 l of said wall "9 to provide a passage entrance 2! between the bottom portion of the housing'8 and the passageway 22 defined by the wall '9 and "shell wall 20 and byw'one end of the arcuate shell portion!!! and th'e'upperinwardly bowed wall portion ll of the wall 9'; which passageway 22 extends from, the e'ntran'ce 2! thereof to the outlet nipple 15, as bestillu'str ated in Figure 3. The arcuate shell portion f9, adjacent its opposite end, is; provided with a substantially triangularshape ilocated djacent jhousinglwa ll it said inner peningf 23, the widest-end oi which is :will hereinafter become apparent.

iiig the housing wall l3.

shell l8 including its portions 19 and 20, extends between the adjacent side walls l2 and [3, as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The housing 8 is provided with an inverted L-shaped internally disposed wall member 24 which extends between the adjacent walls i2 and I3 and which has its ends abutting against the wall ID, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The internalshell member 18 and the internal wall member 24 may be secured in any suitable manner, not shown, within the housing 8.

The wall [2 is provided with a relatively large opening 25 constituting an inspection and cleanout opening and which is normally closed b an externally disposed cover plate 26 which is secured to the outer side of'the wall I2 b screw fastenings 21. The wall [3 is provided with an opening 28 which is preferably externally flanged and the plate 26 is provided with an opening 29 which aligns with the opening 28 and which openings are adapted to provid journals for a shaft 30 which is journaled therein and which is fixed to or formed integral with the intermeposed within the housing .8 and which is of a width to extend substantially to the adjacent side walls 82 and I3 and of a length o that its upper end will travel along the under, concave side -diate portion of a damper vane 3i which is disofthe arcuate shell portion l9 while its lower 7 end will be disposed for swinging movement adjacent the inlet nipple i4 and from adjacent the center thereof toward the lower end of the shell wall 20, as seen in full and dotted lines, respectively, in Figure 3. A collar 32 is disposed on the shaft 30 between one longitudinal edge of the vane 31 and the cover plate'26 for properly spacing said edgeof the vane from the wall [2.

The lower portion of the damper vane 3| is provided with a longitudinally elongated openin'gor slot 33 for receiving a weighted element 34 including a nut and bolt which is slidable in the opening 33 longitudinally of the vane 3i and which is adapted to beitightened'for clamping said weighted element 34 in a plurality of adjusted positions at different distances below'the shaft 30 for varying the effect of said weight 34. A'segment-shaped housing 35 has an open side provided with a'fiange 36'which' is secured to ithe outer side 'of'the wan 43 b a fastening 3"], which extends through the fiange'sfi, so that a "extend outwardly through the lower, restrictedf .5 {portion of said housing side [3 constitutes the, other side wall of said segment-shaped housing portion of said segment -shaped housing 35, in

which said shaft 30 likewise journaled. A turning knob 33 is secured by a pin or fastening $9 'Ttothe'outer, exposedflend of the shaft30, cute 'wardly of said housing 35 and'provides a means whereby the damper vane 3| may be turned in either direction manually, for a purpose which Avane 40 :istlisposed'for close fitting engagement within thehousing'35 and has a hub'portion-H at its lower end which engages a portion of theshaft M'and which is secured thereto by a fastening A2 '56 that when the shaft-30 is turned in its journal openings 28 and 29,--the vane 40 will swing in the segment-shaped housing 35 and in close engagement with the walls thereof,includ- The upwardly diverg- "ing walls 43 of said housing 35 are provided with restricted openings-44 adjacent their uppersendsi. so that said" housing ands-itswahi 40 dashpot to restrict the turning movement of the tion on the right-hand side of the damper vane 3| will pass upwardly through the opening 23 in the internal shell member I9 to the outlet nipple [5 or around the right-hand end of the shell member 19. The products of combustion entering the housing 8 on the left-hand side of the {vane 31 will'pass upwardly through the passage 22, previousl described, into the outlet nipple l5. In the event that an excess suction occurs in the flue above the housing 8, said suction will exert a pull on the ends of the vane 3| to cause it to swing clockwise with its shaft 30 from its position of Figure 3 as seen in full lines'to its 'dotted line position of said figure. This will be partly caused by the fact that some of the products of combustion will be trapped between the shell wall 20 and the upper portion of-the vane 3| to exert a pressure on said vane to swin it clockwise. The amount of pressure r'equird'to accomplish this swinging'movementiof the van'e 3| to its dotted line position of Figure 3, will vary depending upon the location of "the counterweight 34 which tends to retain the'vanein'lts full line position of Figure 3. As the vane '31 swings from its full line to its dotted line position of Figure '3, its upper edge will pass across the opening 23 from the smaller end toward the larger end thereof and the products of combustion passing upwardly through said opening :23 to the right of the vane 3| will resist the clockwise swinging movement of the vane and thereby act as a brake to checkthe movement of the vane as it approaches its dotted line position and to prevent the vane from banging against the shell wall 20 and the upper corner of the internal wall 24. When the vane 3| is in its dotted line position of Figure 3, its lower-end is spaced from the lowerwall portion-ll of the wall 9-to permit a; limited amount of th products of combustion to pass through the entrance 2! into the passage 22 and some-products-rof combustion can ass through the'opening 33 and thence to the opening'23, so that the damper or vane 3| does not completely shutoff the flow of'the products :of combustion in any osition.- However. the products of combustion are prevented from escaping beyond the upper part of the vane 3l-due to the fact that the vane in it dotted line positionfengages the upper inside corner 0; the-interior wail member 24 to thereby closethe upper right-hand side of the casing 8, as seen -in-Figure 3, -Wlien the suction at the outlet nipple -|5 diminishes the weight 34 will return thevane -3l"toward; full line or open position. *In additiohtmthe opening; 23 functioning to restrict. the swinging movement of the vane toward its closed, dotted line position, thedashpot 35, .40 is provided- -positi-vely preventing the vane 31 from-swinging; rapidly in either direction to thereby prevent the vane from hanging against an internal parts of the housiing 8 to cause a noise or vibration. This is-accomplished due to the fact that the vane Mic! -the dashpot must swing with-the vane 3i and in i asse sed.messen er ma netism.

ing "44 toward which it is moving and at the same time creates a suction to draw" air into the dashpot housing through the other-opening 4*4, both' of which'openings are sufficiently small so that air will be restricted in its passage therethrough to thereby permit'the vane 40 to swing ;only; ata very slow speed. ,7 r

Obviously, the cover plate 26 can be removed for adjusting the weight 34 andfor cleaning out the interior of the draft control housing 8. Scot may also be removed from'the damper; vane 3| by "manually turning the knob 38,-with the vane 31 adjacent its dotted line position of Figure 3,

-'foi"bumping the ends of the vane against the in- -:ternal wall portions and 24 for knocking the soot from the vane,

With the weight 34 located adjacentjhe upper end of the Opening 33, the damper vane 3| can be made sufliciently sensitive so that it will be closed by an excessive heat entering the?; housing 8 through its inlet l4 due to the fact that a suflicient amount of the products of combustion will then be trapped between the upper portion of the vane 3| and the internal wall 20 tofswing said vane clockwise and to its dotted use position of Figure 3.

Figure 6 illustrates a slightly modified form of the invention and wherein the opening 33 and weight 34 are omitted and in lieu thereof an elongated threaded rod 45 is provided to retain the knob 38 secured to the shaft in lieu of the fastening 39, said rod having oneend engaging a threaded opening 46 in the hub of the knob 38 and being advanced for clamping engagement with the shaft 30. The rod 45 is disposed in a depending position when the vane 3! is upright, so that said rod is in the same plane asthe vane. A weight 41 is then threaded onto thelower end of the rod 45 and may be adjusted toward and away from the knob 38 for varying the extent that said weight will resist the closing movement of the vane 3|, in the same manner and'for the same purpose as the weight 34. v

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A draft control comprising a housing having an inlet nipple at one end thereof and an outlet nipple at its opposite end, said nipples being adapted to be connected to adjacent ends of sections ,of a flue for interposing the draft control therein, said housing constituting a part of the flue conduit, an internal sh disposed in said housing and provided with a; arcuate end wall located adjacent the outlet n pie, said internal shellhaving a longitudinallyj. tending wall extending from one end of said a uate wall portion and terminating adjacent the inlet nipple and combining with a wall of said'hpusing to provide a restricted passage from adjacent: the inlet nipple to said outlet nipple, a shaftgxtending through andjournaled in said housingga damper vane fixed to said shaft and swing ably disposed in the housing and mounted for movement of either of its ends toward and away froms'aid longitudinally disposed wall of said internal shell, one end of said damper-vane being movable across the concave, inner side of said arcuate wall of the internal shell and the other er idthfereof being movab ,from an open position adjacent the inlet nip and axially of the in to a position against the adjacent and 0 said longitudinally by the housing will be closed by the wane except"- for said limited entrance opening to the passage; 2. A draftbontrol as in claim 1, said vane having-means for normally maintaining it in a plane parallel to'the longitudinal axis of the housing and-of the adjacent flue sections, said vane being actuated by suction in the outlet nipple of the housing for rocking the vane to a position for substantially closing the passage through the housing.

3. A draft control as in claim 1, said vane having means for normally maintaining it in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing and of the adjacent flue sections, said vane being actuated'by a suction in the outlet nipple of the housing for rocking the vane to a position for substantially closing the passage through the housing, said means comprising a weight mounted for vertical sliding movement on said damper vane toward and away from said shaft and having means for clamping it in a plurality of adjusted positions to the vane.

4. A draft control as in claim 1, said vane having means for normally maintaining it in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing and of the adiacent flue sections, said vane being actuated by a suction in the outlet nipple of the housing for rocking the vane to a position for substantially closing the passage through the housing, said means comprising a threaded rod secured to and normally depending from an exposed end of said shaft and having a weight threaded thereon for vertical movement toward and away from the shaft, said threaded rod being disposed in the same vertical plane as the damper vane.

5. A draft control as in claim 1, said first mentioned arcuate portion of said internal shell having a tapered opening therein disposed near the end thereof remoteto the longitudinal wall of said shell, said opening being tapered toward said longitudinal wall and forming an opening through the housing for the products of combustion, said first mentioned end of the vane being movable across said opening as the vane is moved to a closed position for closing the opening, and the enlarged end of said opening forming a brake means for checking the swinging movement of the vane toward a closed position.

6. A draft control as in claim 1, a dashpot mounted on the outer side of said housing through which an end of said shaft extends and in which said shaft portion is journaled, said dashpot including a vane having one end fixed to the shaft for checking the rotary movement of the shaft and swinging movement of the damper vane in either direction.

7. An automatic damper control comprising a housing having an inlet nipple at one end thereof and an outlet nipple at its opposite end, said nipples being adapted to be engaged by adjacent ends of adjacent sections of a, flue for interposing the housing in the flue, a shell secured in said housing barring, a wall disposed longitudinally oi the housing {and combining with portions 1 1 thezeof to form'ya restricted passage extending along: one," side of the housing from adjacent its :inlet-nippletoits outlet nipple, a vane swingably mounted in said housing, and a weight carried by said vane for normally holding the vanein a positionlongitudinally and centrally of the housing whereby the products of combustion can flow unimpeded through the, housing, said shelihaving an arcuate end wall extending from one end ofthe longitudinal shell wall and disposed between the outlet nipple and the adjacent end 0! the. vane, said vane being adapted to be actuated by, suction-inthe outlet nipple of the housing for swinging said end of the vane to a position adjacent one end-of the areuate shell wall. to close vone part of the-housing and to position the other Nu x nher 1 -Name V .1, 492,083-s q Mortonr Jan;.3,-1922- 1512;687- schme1z, Feb; 9; 1928 1,602,989 Montgomery Oct. 12,1926

.2;12,3 01 4 Breese' Mar. 28,1939

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