US2632322A - Automatic igniter - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1953 s. v. E. TAYLOR AUTOMATIC IGNITER Filed March 25, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET l INVENTOR Scott V.E.Toylor ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STAT PTENT OFFICE This invention relates to igniters and more particularly to one for automatically igniting the fuel in a smudge pot or similar article.

One of the objects of the invention is to pron duce an improved igniter which will be automatically operated when certain conditions occur.

A further and more specific object is to produce an igniter for a smudge pot which will be so controlled by a thermostatic element that the igniter will be automatically operated when the air temperature drops below a predetermined reading.

Another object is to produce an igniter which can be pre-set for opera-tion and then automatically operated when certain conditions occur.

Yet another and mo-re specific object is to produce a smudge pot igniter of the thermostatic control type which will be simple in construction,

Ieconomical to manufacture, easily attached to in connection with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred construction.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side view of a smudge pot having mounted thereon an improved automatically opera-ted igniter embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a top View of the igniter;

' ligure 3 is an enlarged View showing the igniter mounted on the smudge pot with parts being shown broken away and in section, the

lsectional view of the igniter being taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side view of the igniter with parts being broken away and in section lto show structure within the housing;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View showing the igni-ting -wheel and iiint, said view being taken on the line 5-5 oi Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line '6--6 of Figure 4 showing details of the attaching of the thermostatic element to the housing; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line l-1 of Figure 2 showing the main wick saturating system.

Referring to the drawings in detail, S indicates a well known smudge pot for use in orchards whereby, when lighted, a smudge will be produced in the area and thereby prevent damage to lthe trees, due to temperatures within a limited range 12 Claims. (Cl. 67-10.1)

just below freezing. The smudge or fog produced will lie adjacent the ground and so surround the trees that temperatures, say in the range between 28 to 32 degrees F., present under normal atmospheric `conditions will not be present in the smudge area. In order to produce the necessary smudge in the atmosphere to prevent damage from freezing, a large number of pots must be employed and of course this presents a problem in lighting all these pots at a proper time to prevent damage, particularly where a ltem-- perature fall to a point below freezing may be very rapid and unexpected. Smudge pot lighting presents a considerable problem when it has to be done by an individual going to each pot, because the freezing temperatures which occur generally corne during the night, thus requiring lighting under adverse conditions, particularly as to visibility.

Numerous igniting devices have been attempted to be produced which will permit the automatic igniting oi smudge pots whenever a temperature reaches a predetermined value, but these igniting devices have not been successful because of numerous reasons, possi-bly the most important of which isthe failure of the igniter to operate when operation is required. When thermostatic elements are employed tocontrol the operation of the igniters, the structure employed to be controlled has been such that the thermostatic element is erratic with respect to the temperatures at which it is supposed to operate. Often the thermostatic element will not cause the igniter to function at all until a much lower temperature is reached than that at which it should have operated and was so set. n

With my improved automatically operated igniter, it is believed that all these objections to prior constructions have .been overcome and an igniter has been produced which will operate efficiently and accurately, with a very minimum number of failures in lighting the smudgepots. This improved igniter is shown as being mounted on a smudge pot in Figure `l and is generally indicated by the letter I.

As bes-t shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the igniter, in its preferred construction, has an elongated casing C made from two pressed metal parts l0 and Il. The main part I0 of the casing is of inverted U-shaped construction so as to be open at the bottom. The other part Il is in the form of a plate having ange ends and is so constructed that it can act as a bottom for the U-shaped part I0 and also provide necessary mounting structure for the rotatable parts of the igniter. Flange l2, at the rear end of the casing part Il, forms an end wall for the U-shaped part and also provides` means 'for attaching the two parts together as by a screw I3. The other front flange I4 of the part lIl extends upwardly into the U-shaped part I inwardly of its end wall I5. IThe front end on the two casing parts may be attached in any suitable manner, as -by the pin Iii shown.

Flangesv I2AV and vIl-*ofr the casing'pa-rt II havejournaled therein a shaft I5 with the rear end extending outwardly beyond the casing and the forward end extending into the space. be. tween the forward flange le and the end wallA I5. The shaft is held in flange I4- by a shoulder on one side and a washer and pin arrangement I6 as shown. Mounted on thisV forwardend' of" the shaft I6 is a knurled wheel I'I which is arranged to move over the end surface of a flint I8 to; thereby produce sparksV in a well known manner. The flint is mounted in a member I9 secured tothe flange Ill and overlying the knurled wheel. In. -order that the flint may be maintained in pressure engagement at all times with the knurled surface. ofv the wheel Il', a leaf spring .20 is secured tothev top wall of the U-shaped casing part III with; its free end acting on the end of the flint which is opposite the end engaged by the knurled wheel.

Y The-'shaft I6 is arranged. to be rotated by means of, a spring which is shown as an elongated coil spring. 2l surrounding the shaft I6 throughout substantially its length between thetwo flanges I2` and I4 of the casing `part II. The forward end, of the springis secured to the forward flange kt4 and the rear end of the spring is secured to thefshafhasV by a. pin 22. The extreme rear end of the shaft which extends out beyond the rear end .of the casing is provided with a key-.type handle v23.. Inwardly of this handle is a ratchet wheel '24 which is arranged to be engaged by a latchk means .25. r:Che element forming the latch nzleansismade from leaf spring material and is 'mounted. in a` support member26 welded to the part. II of the casing. The Ylatch element is secured :to the mounting` member 2.6 by being positioned in a slot in said part and held in said 'slotv by. a pin 21. The latch means is so mounted Vinlithe mounting member that its upper end will be-inormallyv outl of: engagement withfany of the teethjonthe ratchet wheel, and to` engage the vlatc,h mea;ns with a tooth of theratchet. wheel itl-is necessary to ex the leaf Aspring structure s'orit will be somewhat bowed. The resiliency of the leaf spring structure of the latch means is` .suchthat unless the-latch means isrmaintained in'engagement with a tooth by. external forces, will-.spring'back to itsnormal condition free of; engagement with any of the teeth of the ratchet. wheel and thereby permit the shaft I 6 .to freelyv rotate, all notwithstanding that the shaft may be acted upon with considerable torque by a wound up condition of the coil spring 2| when the latch means-is engaged.

The particular means which is employed for maintaining the latch means engaged withy a toothk of the ratchet wheel to thereby hold the spring-2| in a wound up condition and for controlling the release of the latch meanscomprises 1a-wire 28, a swingable member 29- and a thermostatic element 3). The wire 28 is connected to the latch means 25 and extends from there around the rear edge of one sidewall of the casing to the front end of the casing adjacent the knurled vvh'eelwhich performs the sparking. The wire is `thensecured to the front end of the casing by ascrew 3|. This wire. is normally insuch a slack condition .that it willV permit the latch means 25 to assum'eits normal position, where itis disengagedfiom any tooth. If the wire, however,

has its intermediate part moved away from the casing a predetermined distance, it can be caused to hold the latch means 25 in engagement with a tooth of the'ratchet wheel. In order to hold this wiref outwardly in` su'ch aV holdingy position for the latch means, there is provided the swingable member 29 which is shown as being in the' formof a small hinge. One part 32 of the hinge will'be secured to the side of the casing and the other. part 33, of the hinge will be free to swing outwardly and engage the wire and, by its edge, move its Aintermediate portion to such a position that holding the latch means can be accomplished. The length of the wire will be so selected that the wire can hold the latch means 25 `in engaged position with a tooth whenever ythe hinged part 33 of the swingable means is moved outwardly from the plane of the side ofthe cas'- ing approximately 75 degrees. n

To hold this hinge part 33 outwardly, the thermostatic .element 30 is employed which is a bowed member made from strips of metal having different coecients of expansion, as is well known. One end of this thermostaticY element is secured to the side of the casing opposite the swingable member by means of screws 313. From this mounting position the element is arranged to bow over the top of the casing and down to a point adjacent the top of the hinge part. 33 of the swingable member 29. Thisfree end of the element is provided with a notch 35V which can receive the top marginal portion of the hinged part and thus hold it.in.its outward position where it can maintain the wire taut and the latch means 25 engaged withthe tooth. Since the wire, under a taut condition, will tendto force the thermostatic element laterally and affect its accuracy, such can be prevented by the use of the guide strip 36. It will be noted that this guide strip is securedk to the top surface of the casing C by screws 3lv and projects outwardly to act as a guide and abutment for that side of the free end of the thermostatic element towards which the element will be twisted by the action of the taut wire. The thermostaticv elementis mounted to be in a plane less than degrees to the longitudinal axis of the casing and this is accomplished by deforming outwardly a portion of the side of the casing to which the element is secured by the screws BIL, all as best shown in detail in Figure 6. y The guidey member 361 will also have the same angular position as the thermostatic element.

The thermostatic element is so constructed that the free end of the element will move outwardly away from the casing as the temperature drops and the design is such that when the temperature surrounding the igniter approaches. the freezing temperature, the free end will be so moved outwardly as to release the hinge part 33. Due to the angular position of this partfand the forces acting on it by the tautwire 28, the hinge part will collapse, when released, against the side of the casing and thus permit thewire to be slack. The resilient action of the latch means will then cause it to become disengaged from the engaged tooth of the ratchet wheeland consequently the coil spring ZI surrounding the shaft Ifwill give said shaft a rapid rotation, which rotation will result -in the knurled wheelproducing sparks by being moved over the end of the int.

Whenever the -knurled wheel and the flint lcauses sparking, a wick 38V willbe ignited andby means of this wickthefuelin the. smudgepot lighted.` Byreference toFi'g'ures 3r and'it willbe it will be held by the latch 'wire is now permitted to seen that this wick is positioned in a tube 39 which extends from the casing C at a point closely adjacent one edge of the knurled wheel, into the smudge pot through its cover 48. The wick may be of any suitable inflammable material or can be a fuse. As shown, it is of suitable inflammable material and is arranged to be maintained saturated with a readily inflammable liquid such as ordinary cigaret fluid lighter, gasoline or the like. To accomplish this the tube adjacent the igniter will be provided with a small annular member 4l suitably brazed or otherwise secured to the top of the tube 39 and thereby provide a chamber 4Z in which the inflammable liquid can be placed. Extending upwardly into the chamber and above the liquid line is a small conduit Q3 which is arranged to be in communication with the interior of the wick carrying tube 39. To conduct the liquid from the chamber Q2 to the wick 38 in the tube 39 to cause it to be fully saturated and readily inflammable, there is provided a secondary wick 44 which can be tied to the main wick 318 and then extend upwardly through the conduit i3 and into the liquid in the chamber 42. The tube l forming the chamber i2 can be closed by a cork l5 or any other capping means.

In order that the igniter may be readily attached to a smudge pot already in use and not having an igniter or by a manufacture to a newly constructed pot, the casing has two attaching brackets l5 and lll extending laterally in the same direction as the tube. In the ends of these brackets are holes 43 whereby screws is may be employed to attach the brackets to the smudge pot cover 4t; The brackets will be oi su'icient length that the igniter will set some distance to one side of the pot, so that when the pot is lighted and operating to produce a smudge, the ignitel` will not be damaged by heat.

In operation of my improved igniter, the igniter is installed on the smudge pot, as shown, with the main wick 38 caused to be saturated with an inflammable liquid, which is accomplished by iilling the chamber i2 so that the small wick will conduit this liquid to the main wick. To set the igniter for operation, the hinge part 33 is swung outwardly and the thermostatic element 3! caused to receive such part in the slot 35. This will pull on the wire 2S and bow the latch means 25 so that it engages the ratchet wheel. The shaft i6 is now turned by hand to wind up coil spring 2l where means. If desired,

the shaft 'and spring can be wound up prior to setting the hinge part 33. 1n this way it will not be necessary to ratchet the wheel Zover the latch means.

With the igniter now set, it will automatically operate when the temperature falls to approximately freezing. When such a temperature occurs, the free end of the thermostatic element will be so swung outwardly as to release the hinge part 33 which will then be collapsed against the side of the casing due to its angular position and relation to the force applied by the taut wire. The become slack and the latch means will be released Yby its springing back to normal condition. The shaft i6 is now freed for rotation by the wound up condition of spring 2l. This causes rapid rotation of the knurled wheel with resulting sparks from the flint H and the igniting of the wick. The burning of the wick will then cause the smudge pot fuel to be lighted.

It will be noted that the thermostatic element is so constructed and associated with the control 6 parts that it does not have to move under any high friction. It thus will have an accurate movement. The angle of the hinge part is -such thatthe taut wire will produce only a small force acting in a direction to push the free end of the thermostatic element against the guide strip 36. Once the wire is permitted to become slack, the latch means will release instantly, due to the inherent strong forces tending to bring it to normal condition from its flexed holding position. The sparking structure, including the knurled wheel and flint, are fully protected against wind and rain.

From an understanding of the structure embodying my invention, it is believed to be obvious that modifications can be made. Other types of igniting wheels can be employed, as well as igniting substances, such as, for example, friction substance and ordinary matches. In view of these obvious modifications, it is therefore understood that I do not intend that the scope of my invention be limited in any manner except in accordance with the appended claims. y

W hat is claimed is:

l. In an igniter, a member rotatable by spring means to accomplish igniting, ratchet means including a latch means associated with the member for holding the member from rotation by the spring means, said latch means being normally biased to a non-holding position, and means for maintaining the latch means in holding position as long as the temperature surrounding the igniter is above a predetermined degree and for automatically allowing it to assume non-holding position when the temperature falls below the said predetermined degree.

2. In an igniter, a member rotatable by spring means to accomplish igniting, ratchet means including a latch means associated with the member for holding the member from rotation by the spring means, said latch means being normally conditioned in a non-holding position, and means for maintaining the latch means in holding position, and means for automatically causing the latch means to assume non-holding position when the temperature falls below a predetermined degree,

3. In an automatically operable smudge pot igniter, a member rotatable by spring means to accomplish igniting, ratchet means including latch means associated with the member for holding the member from rotation by the spring means, said latch means being normally biased-to a non-holding position, and means for maintaining the latch means in holding position as long as the temperature surrounding the igniter is above a predetermined degree and for automatically allowing it to assume non-holding position Awhen the temperature falls .below said predetermined degree, said last named means comprising a member movable to a position to hold the latch means operable, and a thermostatic element engageable with the movable member only when the temperature is above a predetermined degree. Y

Ll. In an igniter having a member rotatable by spring means to accomplish igniting and latch means to hold the member from rotation by the spring means when in biased condition to cause rotation, a ilexible cord connected to thel latch means and capable of holding the latch means operative when tensioned, and thermostatically controlled means for releasing the cord from its tensioned latch holding condition when a predetermined temperature occurs.

5. In an igniter having a member rotatable by spring means to accomplish igniting and latch incanta-t'ozlroidv the member'. from: rotation. byf the s prlingm'eanswhen' in` biasedcondition to; cause rotation,4 a fflexiblefcord connected to the 'latch meansf'an'd' capable of holding the latch means operative `when tensioned, a'm'ovable member' to accomplish the tensioning, and a. thermostatic element'forlholding the movable member in tensioning..position: as. long as the surroundingV temperature is. above a predetermined degree.

4an igniter, va rotatable member `fory accomplishing; 'igniting,. spring. Ymeans lfor rotating said member, latch'means for' holding` said membenfrom' rotation by the spring. means, and means for releasing the-latch means comprising a thermostatic element, a swingable member, and an anchored' flexible cord. connected te the latch, saidy swingable member cooperating withithe cord .tozholdit tensioned andthe latch engaged and saidfthermosta'tie element holding the swingable member in kits latch holding position but release- `able therefrom when subject tov a. predetermined temperature.

7. In an igniter, a retable member forv accomplishing igniting, spring means for rotating said member,.latch means for holding said member from rotation by the lspring means,.and means for releasing the latchmeans comprising a ther- `mostatic element, a swingable member, and an anchored exible cord connectedto the latch, said swingable member cooperating with the cord be- .tween itsfanchor andthe latch means to hold it .tensioned by a .lateral denection thereof and .thereby hold the latch engaged and said thermostatic element holding. the swingable member in its latch holding positionbutreleasable therefrom when subject to apredetermined tempera- .ture.

8. Inanigniter, a supportstructure, arotatable member for accomplishing igniting, a shaft connected v'thereto and journaled in the support structure, a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft and spaced Vfrom. the rotatable member, a coiled `spring surrounding the shaft between the member and-ratchetwheeland havingone endl connected tothe. shaft-and the other end secured to the support structure, a spring biased latch means Vfor engagement with the wheelv to hold the .shaft and` spring in` a woundv condition,. a cord conynectedto thelatch means at one end and anchoredat. its other end, and-thermostatically. re-

sponsivemeans .for holding i the cordv so tensioned fthatfthelatch meansisvengaged with the wheel and for-.releasing the cord to. permit. release. of `thelatch meansfwhen a predetermined temperature. occurs.

9. Inv an igniten-.a support structure, a rotatable -member for accomplishing igniting, a shaft connected thereto and journaled. in the support Structurae ratchetwheel carried by the shaft `and spaced from the rotatable member, a coiled spring surrounding the shaft between the member and ratchet wheeland having one. end connected to the shaft. and the other end secured to/the supportstructure,v a spring biased latch VVVmeansffor.engagement with the wheel to hold Athe. shaft andspring in a wound condition, a cord connected to the latch means at one end vand an- Ychored at-its other end,.and means forholding thethecord so tensioned that the latch is en gagedwith the wheel and for releasing the cord to lpermitrelease of the latch when a predetermined temperatureoccurs, said last named means comprising a member movable to aV position to flexf the to:1 aa positionf to,l thereby vnlovethe latchz means to holding; position-,faudrai thermo-.- static element to hold the said member inzlatch holding.l position and capable ot releasing. samey when .a predeterminedtemperature occurs. i

10. In an igniter, an elongated support structure, a springl operated rota-table member to accomplish igniting mountediny the supportl structuremeans comprising latch means at one end of the structure to hold the rotatable member from Vrota-tion bythe spring, a cord. connected at vone end 'to the latch means and at its other end to the remote end' of the support structure, said-cordha-ving a slack condition inwhichthe latch, means caribe in non-holding conditiom. a swingable member mounted on the intermediate portion of .thesupportstructure andcapable of swinging outwardly against/the cord and thereby pulling the cord tantra-nd maintaining the latch-in holding position, Vand.thermostatically controlled means for holding the swingable. member Vin its outward position and capable of. releasing it when a predetermined temperature. occurs.

11. In.` an igniter, an elongated support structure,v a spring operated rotatable member. to accomplish igniting mounted in the support strueture, means. comprising latch means at one., end of the structure to hold the rotatable member from rotation by the spring, a cord connected at one end tothe latch means and at its other end tothe remote end ofthe support structure, said cord having a slack condition in which the latch means can be in non-holding condition, a swingablemember mounted on the intermediate portion of the support structure and. capable of swinging outwardly to an angle less. than degrees with the longitudinalaxis of the..suppor t structure and against the cord to thereby ,pull the cord taut and maintain the latch in. holding position, a bowed thermostatic element for engaging and holding the swingable member. in.V its outward position but capable of releasing it when a. predetermined temperature occurs, and a support guide for the thermostatic'element preventiing its. de'ection by the tension ofthe. cord act"- ing' through the, swingable member and tending tocollapse it inwardly.

12. ,In an igniterfor smudgepot's, an elongated U-shaped casing structureL a shaft. mounted lengthwise therein, a knurled wheel mounted" at Voneend othe` shaft, alint for engagement' by thewheelto producesparks, a leaf spring mounted in the casingr andY acting' on the. flintto .biasit Vintoengagement lwith the wheel, a coiled spring 'in .surrounding relation to the shaft for rotating the same when wound up, ratchet means includ- `ingY a ratchet wheel on the shaft for holdingithe REFERENCES CITED The, following references. are of record in .the

.le of this patent-z UNITED STATES' PA'IENTS Number' Name DateV 1,095,015 Mayer Apr. 23.119114 1,165,326V Dunn Dec. 21, 191'5 1,550,007' Ciraolo Aug. 2,8, 1925

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