US2655587A - Wall-mountable electric heater and housing assembly therefor - Google Patents

Description

G. STELNGRUBER wALL-MoUNTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER Oct. 13, 1953 INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 1l 1951 G. STEINGRUBER WALL-MOUNTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER AND HOUSING ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Oct. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May ll 1951 Patented Oct. 13, 1953 WALL-MOUNTABLE ELECTRIC HEATER AND HOUSING ASSEMBLY THEREFoR George Steingruber, Atlanta,` Ga.; Minnie Baas Steingruber, executrix of said George Steingruber, deceased Application May 11, 1951, Serial No. 225,822

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to space heaters of the electrically heated, forced air-circulating type, and more particularly to a space heater adapted to be mounted in the wall of a building.

Small electric heaters have been found to be highly desirable for purposes of supplementing the conventional heating system with which most buildings are provided, or for heating the desired rooms of buildings located in the warmer sections of the country, and which are often lacking in proper or adequate heating facilities during unusually cold weather.

It is not always desirable or practical to have a heater of the conventional portable type in each room of a house, apartment or the like, due to the fact that these heaters do not always blend with the furnishings of every room, or there is not ample space in the room for an additional piece of furniture.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an electrically operated air-circulating space heater which is so compactly constructed as to be readily mountable in an existing building wall, partition or the like, and which will not project any Substantial or unsightly distance into the room.

A further object is to provide a wall-mountable electric space heater of improved construction which is both compact and eliicient, and which is neat and attractive inappearance, as well as exceedingly simple in form,l so asV to be relatively inexpensive in cost of production and cost of operation.

In carrying out the foregoi-ng general aims of the invention, my improved heater is so con-- structed as to utilize to maximum advantage the; combination of radiated, reilected and circulated heat in such a manner as to produce a continuous flow of warm air in suflicient volume to heat` a room of substantial size.

In addition to producing circulation of heated air by convection currents in substantial and effective volume, I also preferably provide for forced circulation of the heated air by a powerdriven fan which is so constructed asto occupy a minimum of space, and which is soarranged with respect to the heater construction that the cool air drawn into the heater will act to prevent overheating of the power source for the fan.k

A further object is to provide a space heater having the foregoing advantages and which may be utilized as an air-circulating fan withoutheating the air, for use in warm weather, thus avoiding any necessity for a separate circulating. fan,

2 as is particularly desirable in the warmer sections of the country.

Still another `object is to provide a novel and improved heater casing of sheet metal construction, together with a novel and improved assembly of air-circulating and heating elements within the casing, which attain the objects and advantages aforementioned.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of a space heater made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged View, elevation and partly in section, cover-plate shown in broken lines, and showing onel illustrative installation of the heater in a building wall, partition or the like; and,

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section, as taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, but with the front cover-plate shown in full lines.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several gures of the drawings, wherein I generally denotes a pair of longitudinally extended, spaced, parallel wall or partition studs having a pair of transversely extended, parallel framemembersy 2 disposed therebetween to form a substantially rectangular, framed opening adapted to receive a heater construction therein.

The heater construction, for purposes of illustration, comprises a substantially rectangular, recessed outer housing or casing having a rear' wall 4, parallel top and bottom walls 5, 6' respectively, and parallel side walls 7, 8 respectively, this housing preferably being formed from a single piece of sheet metal. The outer marginal edges of the walls 5', 5, I and 8 of the housing 3 are turned outwardly at approximately a right angle to form marginal attachment flanges thereon, as indicated at 9, and are retroverted', as at I 0, to rein-force the attachment flanges, andv butt up against the studs or frame members I, 2 in order to properly position the housing 3V Within the opening dened thereby. The attachment flanges 9 are provided with a suitable numpartly in front with the front ber of openings therethrough which are adapted to receive a corresponding number of anchor fastenersy I I for securing the housingV 3` within then-ame members I, 2.

Located within the housing 3- isan inner casing or shell I2 whichV is preferably substantially Isquare or rectangular in horizontal section and defines an air heating chamber, the lateral sides of the shell being extended above the front and rear sides thereof and diverging upwardly to form a pair of hanger plates I3, I4 having their upper marginal edges turned outwardly to form flanges I5, I which are secured to the top wall 5 of the housing 3, as by means of a suitable number of fasteners I1, but slightly spaced therefrom to provide an air space between the inner shell and the top wall 5 of the outer housing 3, the fasteners I1 being preferably locked to the wall 5 by means of lock nuts I8.

Adjacent to the lower end thereof, the inner shell I2 is rigidly anchored by means of a screw fastener I9 which is locked to the rear wall 4 of the housing 3 by a lock nut 20, the fastener I3 extending through the rear wall of the shell I2 which is clamped between the clamp nuts 2l in spaced relation to the rear wall 5 of the housing 3 to provide an air space therebetween.

An air-directing or deflecting top plate 22 is secured to the upper rear edge of the shell I2, as at 23, and extends angularly upwardly toward the front of the housing 3 to a point just below the uppermost flanges I5, I6 on the sides I3, I4 of shell I2, the free end of the deflector plate 22 having a horizontally disposed flange 24. The lateral edges of the deflector plate 22 diverge at an angle towards the flange 24 so as to be in contact with the upwardly diverging sides I3, I4 of the inner shell I2, thus completing a hollow openended air tube or heating chamber which is adapted to direct air out into a room in a manner which will hereinafter become more apparent.

A pair of transverse struts 25, 2S are respectively extended across the upper and lower ends of the body of the inner shell I2, the opposite ends of each of the struts 25, 26 being offset as at 21, 28 and attached to the shell I2 by means of screw fasteners 29 which project through the ends 21, 28 of the struts and through the walls of the shell I2, with nuts 3Q clamping these parts together.

The lower strut centrally thereof is provided with a pair of spaced notches 3l and an intermediate lug 32 adapted to support one end of a hollow porcelain or other insulated tube 33. The upper strut 25 has a resilient member 34 secured thereto adjacent one end thereof, the member 34 preferably being formed from a single piece of resilient metal so as to provide a U-shaped end 35 adapted to straddle the strut 25 and to be secured thereto by means of a screw fastener 36 or the like. Projected downwardly from the plane of the strut 25 and horizontally extended from the U-shaped end 35 of the member 34 is a flat plate 31 having its center so punched out as to form an annular bead 38 adapted to engage the upper end of the porcelain tube 33, as is best seen in Figure 2, the free end 34 of the member` 34 being turned upwardly to within a short distance of the lower edge of the strut 25, or into firm engagement therewith as may be preferred.

The advantages of the just-described tube supporting construction are manifest, since the porcelain tube 33 may be readily removed for replacement by merely lifting the same againstlthe pressure of the resilient member 34 a sufficient distance to lift the bottom end of the tube free of the centering lug 32 and the notches 3l of the lower strut 26 and then pulling the tube from between the struts, as is apparent. Furthermore, the resilient member 34 absorbs any shocks to the tube 33 during transportation of the heater assembly to a point of installation, but at the same time, the resilient member 34 holds the tube in place and against displacement due to such shocks. Still further, the tube 33 is subject to expansion and contraction when the heater is turned on and off respectively, and the resilient member 34 compensates for such expansion and contraction to prevent damage to the tube 33.

Disposed about the outer periphery of the porcelain tube 33 is an electric heating or resistance coil 33' which is connected to a pair of connectors 33 which are suitably insulated from the shell I2 in which they are secured in a suitable manner, as at 39, the connectors 38 being in turn electrically connected with a suitable switch 4I! by a pair of wires diagrammatically shown at 4 I. The switch 40 is connected to a source of electric current supply by an extension cord 42. The extension cord 42 is suitably secured in the side wall 1 of the housing 3, as at 43 and is connected to the switch by a pair of lead wires 44. rihus, the electric circuit through the heating coil or resistance 33 may be selectively completed or broken by the switch 40, as is readily apparent upon reference to Figure 2.

Coming now to the means for forcing circulation of air through the shell I2, I provide a socalled squirrel cage or centrifugal fan 45 having a coaxially extended shaft 46 disposed beneath the inner shell I2. The shaft 46 is operatively connected at one end with a suitable power source or electric motor 41, the opposite end being journalled in a bearing 48. The bearing 48 is suitably mounted on a hanger bracket 49 as at 50, and the motor is mounted in axial alignment with the bearing 48 on a second hanger bracket 5I, by means of bolts 52 or the like. The hanger brackets 4S, 5I are each detachably supported at the lower end of the inner shell I2 by means of screws 53 or the like extending through the opposed lateral walls of the inner shell I2, the upper ends of the hanger brackets each being provided with a pair of bayonet slots 54 for quick mounting and demounting of the fan-motor assembly.

The use of a centrifugal fan for forcing circulation of air is one important feature of the present invention, since this type of fan requires a minimum of space, but will circulate a maximum of air for the space utilized, the space limitations for wall-mounted heaters being quite small, usually about 3 to 4 inches, due to the relatively shallow depth of building walls and partitions. Thus, a fan of any substantial size would necessitate a housing that projects a substantial distance outwardly from the wall in which the heater is mounted. On the other hand, if a conventional fan having radial blades were to be utilized in the maximum space required by the heater of this invention, the fan would not be capable of circulating a sufficient volume of air. My heater projects into a room only a slight distance, viz. the depth of the front cover plate C which will be hereinafter described, this cover plate being preferably about one inch in over-all depth.

As seen in Figure 2, electric current is supplied to the motor by way of the conductors diagrammatically indicated at 54, which are connected in parallel with the switch 40 and the heater coil 33', as at 55. A second switch 56 mounted on the side wall 8 of the housing 3 is interposed in the motor circuit for selectively completing or breaking the motor circuit as is apparent.

While the electric circuits for energizing the heater coil 33 and the motor 41 have been diagrammatically shown as being in parallel, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the circuits may be varied without departing from the spirit of this invention.

For directing the maximum volume of air circulated by the fan upwardly through the shell I2, there is provided a baille or director plate 51 which is secured to the lower end of the shell I2, as at 51', and extends downwardly beneath the fan 45, and thence upwardly on the other side of the fan to a position closely adjacent to the lower end of the shell l2 (see Fig. 3 particularly).

At the upper end of the inner shell I2, I provide a removable grill or closure 58 for the shell I2, this grill having a portion of its lower edge olfset slightly to form a shoulder 59 adapted to engage the upper edge of the inner shell I2, and a flange 60 adapted to engage behind the upper edge of the shell I2, as is best seen in Figure 3. The upper side of the grill 58 is bent inwardly at a right angle to the body of the grill to form a flange 6I having a marginal flange 62 thereon directed slightly downwardly, the anges 6I, B2 forming means for engaging the flange 24 of the deflector plate 22 to releasably secure the grill 58 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3. The grill 58 is easily applied by merely placing the shoulder 59 and flange 60 in engagement with the shell I2 and then snapping the upper flanges 6I, 62 over the flange 24 of the deector plate 22 as permitted by the inherent resilience of the sheet metal parts.

A front cover plate C is secured to the attachment flanges 9 of the housing 3 by means of a suitable number of sheet metal screw fasteners 63 or the like. This cover plate comprises a flat front portion having a desired number of openings 64 therethrough arranged to provide any desired aesthetic effect and allowing free flow of air therethrough. The marginal edge of the cover plate C is turned rearwardly to form a flange 65 therearound which is adapted to butt up against the wall in which the heater is mounted, as is best seen in Figure 3. Adjacent to the upper end thereof, the cover plate C is provided with a relatively large opening 66 which substantially conforms in size and shape with the removable grill 58, and the cover plate C is further provided with a pair of openings 61 through which the operating arms of the switches 40, 56 project so as to be readily accessible.

The operation of the space heater will now be described.

Assuming that the switches 40, 56 are each closed to energize the heater coil 33 and the fan motor 41, the fan 45 will draw cool air into the housing 3 through the openings B4 in the cover plate C, this air being, for the most part, drawn into the fan at its ends due to the curved baffle plate 51, thus maintaining the motor 41 cool during prolonged periods of operation. The air is then directed into the lower end of the inner .shell I2 and upwards therethrough where it is heated by the heat radiated from the element 33', as well as by the heat reflected from the side walls of the shell I2. The air is then deflected by the plate 22 and directed outwardly through the grill 58. Since cool air is free to enter the housing throughout its entire height, this cool air, in being drawn into the fan, will pass through the air spaces between the housing 3 and the inner shell I2 in such a manner as to avoid any pocketing of excessive heat therebetween.

It should be understood that when less heat is desired, electric current to the fan may be cut off and warm air will continue to circulate due to convection currents within the inner shell I2 in suicient volume to warm a room under moderate temperature conditions or to warm a small room. Therefore, it is apparent that, if desired, the heater of this invention may be availed of for some installations, minus the fan, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Moreover, if desired, the fan may be operated independently of the heating means to provide for circulation of unheated air, and accordingly, this invention may be availed of for some installations, minus the heating instrumentalities without departing from the spirit thereof.

While the specific details of one embodiment of the invention have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A space heater of the class described, comprising a housing, a unitary inner shell mounted in said housing and forming an inner airheating chamber, said shell being spaced from said housing on all of its sides, air-heating means mounted in said chamber, air-circulating means disposed beneath the inner shell for forcing circulation of air through said chamber, means at the upper end of said chamber for directing air forced through the chamber to the exterior of said housing, and said housing having means for directing relatively cool air into the same responsive to the circulating means, said air-circulating means comprising a centrifugal fanmotor assembly supported by said inner shell, said fan motor assembly comprising a pair of spaced brackets connected to said shell, a centrifugal fan having a shaft rotatably journalled at one of its ends in one of said brackets, the opposite end of said shaft being operatively connected with an electric motor, said motor being supported on the other of said brackets, and means for supplying electric current to said motor.

2. A space heater of the class described, comprising a housing, a unitary inner shell mounted in said housing and forming an inner airheating chamber, said shell being spaced from said housing on all of its sides, air-heating means mounted in said chamber, air-circulating means disposed beneath the inner shell for forcing circulation of air through said chamber, means at the upper end of said chamber for directing air forced through the chamber to the exterior of said housing, and said housing having means for directing relatively cool air into the same responsive to the circulating means, said air-directing means at the upper end of said chamber including a pair of side members on said inner shell extended upwardly beyond the body of the shell, said side members being secured to the housing aforesaid and constituting hanger supports for said shell.

3. A space heater of the class described, comprising a housing, a unitary inner shell mounted in said housing and forming an inner air-heating chamber, said shell being spaced from said housing on all of its sides, air-heating means mounted in said chamber, air-circulating means disposed beneath the inner shell for forcing circulation of air through said chamber, means at the upper end of said chamber for directing air forced through the chamber to the exterior of said housing, and said housing having means for `directing relatively cool air Vinto the same re sponsive to the circulating means, said air-directing means at the upperend of said chamber including a pair of side members on said inner shell extending upwardly beyond the body of the shell,

said side members being secured to the housing va heating chambe-r disposed within said housing in spaced relation to the sides, back, bottom, and top of the latter to form an air space between the shell and the housing, an electric heating element .disposed within the shell, a deiiectcr plate at the top of the shell, a fan-motor assembly carried by said shell beneath the same for forcing air upwardly through the inner shell so as to be heated therein andl for drawing relatively cool air into the housing, at least some of the air being drawn through the air space between the housing and shell, the heated air being deiiected outwardly from said housing by said defiector plate, and -means for selectively energizing the heating element; and fan-motor, said fan-motor assembly including a centrifugal fan having a fan-bladed rotor of the squirrel-cage type.

5. A space heater of the class described, cornprising a housing closed at its opposite sides, back, bottom and topy and provided with an opening at its front, a front cover plate disposed across said opening and being provided with a plurality of openings therethrough, a unitary shell dening a heating chamber disposed Within said housing in spaced relation to the sides, back, bottom, and top of the latter to form an air space between the shell and the housingy an electric heating element disposed within the shell, a deector plate at the top'of the shell, a fan-motor assembly carried by said shell beneath the same for forcing air upwardly through the inner shell so as to be heated therein-and 4for drawing relatively cool/air into the housing, at least some of the air being drawn through the air space between the housing and `shell,the heated air being deflected outwardly `from said housing by said de'lector plate, and

means ior selectively 'energizing the heating element and ian-motor, said fan-motor assembly including a centrifugal vfan having a fan-bladed rotor or" the squirre1-cage type, said inner shell being provided at its lower end with means for directing air from the fan into said shell.

-6. Aspace heater of the class described, comprising a housing closed atits opposite sides, back,

bottom and top, and provided with an opening at its front, a iront cover plate disposed across said opening and being provided with a plurality of openingstherethrough, a unitary shell deiining a heating chamber disposed within saidhousing in ,spaced relation to the sides, back, bottom, and

top of the latter to form an air space -between the shell and the housing, an electric heating element disposed within the shell, a deilectorI plate at the top ofthe shell, a fan-'motor assemblycar- Yried by said shell beneath the same for forcing air upwardly through the inner shell so=as`to vbe heated-thereinand for drawing relativelycool air into the housing, at least some of the air being drawn through the air space between the housing and shell, the heated air being deflected outwardly from said housing by said deector plate, and means for selectively energizing theheating element and fan-motor,said fan-motor assembly comprising a pair of spaced hanger brackets de- `and being open at the front, an inner shell dening-an air-#heating chamber mounted within the :housing in spaced'relation to the sides, bottom,

ltop, and' back. of the housing and forming an :air space betweenthe shell and the housing, air

`dei'lecting means at -theupper end of the shell Ifor :directing air through the open front ofthe housing, means for supporting an electric heaterA elem`ent within said shell," means for supporting an velectric motor-operated fanwithin said housing .below the shell, and a front cover plate secured'on Asaid housing, said housing including an attachment flange disposed about the housing and adapted tobe secured'in a framedopening in the wall of a room, said cover plate Vbeing secured to said attachment fiange and having its marginal edge turned rearwardly for abutting contact Aagainst the wall when the vassembly Vis installed.

il.r A space heater housing assembly of the class described, comprising a housing adapted to be recessed in a Wall of a room, said housing being closed at its opposite sides, bottomy .topyand bacia, and being open at the front, an inner shell dening'an air-heating chamber vmounted within the housing in spaced relation to the sides, bottom, top, 'and back ofthe housingand forming an air space `between the shell and the housing,

`airideiiecting means at the'upper end of the shell for directing air through the open front of the housing, means for supporting an electric heater element within said shell, means for supporting attachment flange.

9. A space heater housing assembly of the class described, comprising Aa housing adapted to .be

recessedfina wall-oa room, said housing being closedat its opposite sides,'bottom, top, and back, and being'op'enrat the front, an'inner` shell defining'an'air-heatingchamber mounted within the housing in spaced relation to the sides, bottom, top, and :back of the housing and'forming an air :space between theshell and the housing, air de- `fleeting means atl 'theupper endof `the shell for 'directing air through the open front of thehous- -ingflneans for'supporting-an electric heater element'within said shell, means for supporting an :electric motor-operated fan'within said housing :below the shell, -and afront rcoverV plate secured onsaid housing, said inner shell'including a pair of upwardly extended sides secured to the top of the housing 'for supporting. the shell therein, said air fdefiecting means comprising a forwardly vin 9 clined plate extending forwardly and upwardly from the top rear wall of the shell and transversely spanning the upwardly extended sides of the shell to form an air outlet between the top edge of the shell and the deflector plate.

10. A space heater housing assembly of the class described, comprising a housing adapted to be recessed in a wall of a room, said housing being closed at its opposite sides, bottom, top, and back, and being open at the front, an inner shell defining an air-heating chamber mounted within the housing in spaced relation to the sides, bottom, top, and back of the housing and forming an air space between the shell and the housing, air deflecting means at the upper end of the shell for directing air through the open front of the housing, means for supporting an electric heater element Within said shell, means for supporting an electric motor-operated fan within said housing below the shell, and a front cover plate secured on said housing, said inner shell including a pair of upwardly extended sides, means securing said upwardly extended sides to the top of the housing GEORGE STEINGRUBER.

References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,644,595 Karg Oct. 4, 1927 1,754,232 Fisher Apr, 15, 1930 1,926,537 Hoffman Sept. 12, 1933 1,982,139 Kercher Nov. 27, 1934 2,007,102 Wallace e July 2, 1935 2,379,705 Graves July 3, 1945 2,405,783 Gardenhour Aug. 13, 1946

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