US2659428A

US2659428A - Oil burner electric igniter

Info

Publication number: US2659428A
Application number: US174265A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert L Judson
Original assignee: Iron Fireman Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Iron Fireman Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1950-07-17
Filing date: 1950-07-17
Publication date: 1953-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1970-11-17

Description

Nov. 17, 1953 A; JUDSON OIL BURNER ELECTRIC IGNITER 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 17, 1950 INVENTOR- A lber'z L.

Judson Nov. 17, 1953 A. L. JUDSON on. BURNER ELECTRIC IGNITER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 19 50 ,INVENTOR. Albert L. %w4,.'.., 1 66.21:;

Jud son Nov. 17, 1953 A. L. JUDSON 2,659,428 on. BURNER ELECTRIC IGNITER Filed July 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 g $9 WWII Kg:

- INVENTOR.

A [be-I"? L. Judson BY Nov. 17, 1953 A. L. JUDSON 2,659,428 OIL BURNER ELECTRIC IGNITER Filed July 17, 1950 iZll/II/l I INVENTOR- Albert L. Judson Patented Nov. 17,1953

2,659,428 OIL BURNER ELECTRIC IGNITER Albert L. Judson, Portland,

Fireman Manufacturin Oreg., a corporation of 8 Claims.

My present invention comprises a combined oil inlet and igniter for a vaporizing oil burner of the type comprising an open receptacle having means for admitting oil and combustion-supporting air thereinto.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an oil inlet and electrical igniter in which an air valve is provided under control of thermostatic means, the valve being so operated as to be open at all times except when it is desired to snuii out the pilot flame after ignition should have occurred in the burner receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described embodying a wick element associated with a resistance igniter, in which the resistance igniter and associated wick are located in one side of a well rising from the oil inlet body in order to permit the use of a cleaning tool which sometimes must be used to dislodge carbon deposits within the burner adjacent the oil inlet opening.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an oil inlet and igniter of the character described adapted for use with means to prevent operation of the igniter when the burner receptacle is too hot safely to receive a fresh supply of fuel oil.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an oil inlet and igniter in which means are incorporated to admit pilot flame combustionsupporting air when a pilot flame is being kindled, temporarily to arrest the admission of air after the pilot flame has burned a short while whereby to snuff out the pilot flame, and thereafter to readmit air to the interior of the oil inlet and igniter to assure the scouring of combustion products from the region of the igniter during normal operation of the burner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an oil inlet and igniter of the character described in which a thermostatic element for operating the air valve is associated with electrical resistance heating means for assuring rapid, positive action of the valve. A further object of the present invention is to provide a combined oil burner and igniter therefor in which means are provided to direct a pilot flame against the portion of the burner receptacle onto which the oil flows whereby to expedite ignition in the receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the foregoing character in which a minimum number of inexpensive, simplified and sturdy parts are incorporated.

' The foregoing and other objects and advang Company, Oregon Application July 17, 1950,

reg., assignor to Iron Portland,

Serial No. 174,265

tages of the present invention will be more readily ascertained by inspection of the following speci fication taken in connection with the accompanylike numerals refer to like parts throughout, while the features of novelty will be more distinctly pointed out in the ap pended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a view in perspective, with parts broken away, illustrating a form of the present invention associated with a typical oil burner appliance and control means therefor;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a right side elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially along line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially along line 8--8 of Fig. 6, with the parts illustrated in a different phase of operation;

Fig. 9 is a view present invention, taken substantially along line |0-Hl of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken substantially along line HH of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a modified form of oil inlet and igniter body;

Fig. 13 is a partial section through a burner receptacle and a portion of a modified form of oil inlet body associated therewith;

Fig. 14 is a View in perspective, with parts broken away, of an appliance having an automatic control circuit associated therewith and a modified form of air valve operating mechanism associated with the oil inlet and igniter; and

Fig. 15 is a view in perspective, with parts broken away, illustrating a modified form of igniter re sistance element.

Referring to Figs. 1 tion is illustrated in association with an oil burning appliance including a jacket I0 having a heat exchanger H mounted therein, the lower end of the heat exchanger being associated in the usual manner with a typical vaporizing burner receptacle l2 having a plurality of air inlet openings I3 in the vertical walls thereof. An internally threaded collar 14 is welded to the side wall of the burner receptacle surrounding an oil to 11 inclusive, the inveninlet opening therein to provide means for association with the burner of a combined oil inlet and igniter l comprising the present invention. As herein illustrated, oil is admitted to the interior of the member through an elbow l6 and an associated oil supply conduit l1 leading from a float valve device I8 of conventional type, the float valve device being supplied with oil from any suitable source of supply through a supply conduit is. The oil float valve may be any of a number of commercially available types which permit the flow of a regulated quantity of oil therefrom when opened, and which maybe closed to prevent further supply of oil. when. desired,.the float device in accordance with usual. practice preventing the admission of oil into the receptacle to the level of the lowermost row of air inlet openings l3. In Fig. 1 it is seen that a transformer may be suitably mounted on the appliance, the transformer being connected by wires 2t to the resistance element of the igniter, to be described later, and to a manual starter button indicated at 22 by means of a pair of wires 23, one of which may be broken to provide means for connecting the appliance to a source of current as by meansof a plug-in connector 24.

The inlet and igniter 15 comprises an elongated. hollow body portion 25 having a threaded inner end adapted to be screwed into the inlet collar l4. The body 25 provides an oil conduit 23 leading. from the oil supply tube to the interior of the burner receptacle. Oil is admitted to the interior of the body through a lateral openinf, 21 extending outwardly through a hexagonal boss 28 on the side of the body, the interior. of'the boss being threaded for reception of the elbow l6. For convenience the opposite side of the body may be provided with a similar hexagonal boss 23 in order that the oil inlet conduit may be connected to. either side, the unused opening to be closed as by means of a removableplug. 30. The front of the body is provided with a hexagonal boss 3| in which is mounted a plug. 32, the. plug. being in line with the collar l4 so that a rod may be driven through the body to remove carbon deposits which may accumulate in the burner. adjacent the inlet. The conduit 26 is of such size that the oil remains at a low level therein,. there being a constantly open. flame passage provided by the upper portion of the conduit.

The intermediate portion of the burner body comprises an open wellextending upwardly from the cylindrical bod portion 25, the well preferably being rectangular in cross-section and comprising a rear wall 33, a right side wall 34; a front wall 35, and a left sidev wal 36. The walls terminate at a. common level and are machined so that a. closure plate 31' may provide an airtight, cover. for the well. The plate is attached by means of a screw 38 threaded into a boss 39 on. the. side wall 34, a second screw 40. threaded into a. boss 4! on the. sidewall 36,. and a third screw 42. threaded into. a. boss 43 on. acentral, vertical portion of a partition. 44. The partition 44 extends from the lower surface of. the closure plate 31 downward. to. an intermediate level and is there joinedby a horizontal portion 45 extending to the right side wall 34, the partition closing off an upper portion of the well to provide an air inlet chamber. An air outlet opening 46 is provided in the portion 45, preferably near the rear wall 33, so that air passing through the opening 46 sweeps around the corner between the rear wall 33 and the cylindrical portion 25 in passing into the burner receptacle, thereby leaving the major portion of the lower part of the well in relatively quiescent condition. A pair of small openings 41 are provided about midway of the vertical portion of the partition 44 so that a small supply of air, insufficient for complete combustion of the vaporized fuel may be drawn into the left portion of the well whenever the air inlet opening 48 in the front wall 35 is open. The opening 48 is open, as will presently appear, whenever a resistance element 50 is energized to ignite a pilot flame.

The resistance element is in the form of a bail upon which is supported a porous, capillary wick member 54 preferably made of sintered metal as described and claimed in application Serial No. 11.7,6'11, now Patent No. 2,520,159, issued August 29, 1950. In the present invention the ends of the passage 52 in the wick through which the resistance element extends are enlarged, the passage comprising a restricted central portion of larger diameter than the diameter of the resistance wire 50, and the outer ends of the passage being countersunk to provide widely flaring mouths whereby a large amount of combustionsupporting air may reach the ends of the relatively quiescent zone provided by the restricted area of the passage in which the. resistance element contacts the wick member. The wick member is longer than the distance between the supporting hail of resistance wire and the bottom of the well so as to insure contact of the wick member by the first oil to enter thedevice. The bottom of the wick member is preferably rounded and. the inner surface of the lower portion of the side wall 36 is preferably rounded toward the central portion of the well so that when the wick is being lowered into position it will be caused to swing laterally and permit assembly of the closure plate. The lower end of the wick member is directlyin front of the inlet opening 21 so that oil flowing into thebody 25 rapidly contacts the porous wick. Some of the oil is bypassed or diverted by the capillary passages of the wick and caused to travel upwardly into proximity with the resistance element by which it is vaporized and ignited whereby an oil rich pilot flame is initiated, the flame first occurring in the relatively quiescent passage 52, then spreading from both ends thereof across the surface of the wick and vaporizing and igniting some of the oil flowing through the passage 26. The pilot flame is swept into the burner receptacle along the surface of the inwardly flowing oil in a blowtorch fashion by the stream of air passing. through the

openings

46 and 48. It is to be appreciated that the amount of oil which will flow through the passage 26 would not fill the passage 26 beyond a small fraction-of its internal height so that there is always free space for the passage of pilot flame supporting. air through the upper portion of the passage 26. When the air inlet opening 43 is closed air cannot reach the interior of the well. and the passage 26 so that the pilot flame will be, snuffed out. Thereafter if the opening 48is again opened a stream of scouring air will pass through the opening 46 to prevent flame from creeping back into the passage 26, to prevent corrosive products of combustion from reaching the wick or the resistance element, and to prevent the deposit of soot by backdrafts into the passage 26. The openings 41 likewise function to scour products of combustion from the left portion of the well.

The opening 48 is surrounded at its outer end by a concentric countersink 55, the bottom of the countersunk area providing a valve seat for reception of a valve 56 having a flat inner surface and a conical outer surface, the valve being mounted on a ing portion 50 is provided with an annular groove into which is slipped a hairpin retainer 62 which holds a loosely mounted disc 53 on the portion 6t between the mounting spring ti and the outer end of the mounting portion. The mounting spring is in the form of an elongated plate having squared ends which are retained in the transversely hooked ends $4 of spring 66, the ends of the mounting spring 6! having central tongues 55 passing through central openings in the portions 55. The bight of the tensioning spring 66 is normally flexed in wardly from a plane surface but may be stressed toward a plane surface so as to adjust the inward pressure of the portions 54 whereby to regulate the force tending to bow the mounting The tensioning spring is is mounted upon a bracket plate It by a limiting screw 1| passing through a central opening in the spring and a threaded opening in the center of the mounting bracket it, and the tension thereof may be regulated by a nut 72. The limiting screw H has a fiat head '53 projecting toward the outer end of the reduced portion 69 of the valve stem, the position of the head 13 being adjustable to limit the extent to which the valve stem 74 bearing against the outer surface of the mounting bracket 70. In order to retain the tensioning spring 66 in proper position it is provided with a pair of dimples 15 which project into locating openings 75 in the mounting bracket 70.

The mounting bracket it! is retained at the free end of a bimetallic valve actuator 80 by rivets 8|. The relatively fixed end of the bimetallic element is bent reversely and a pair of mounting screws 82 are passed through both arms thereof and screwed into a boss 8 3 on the lower portion of the side wall 36. The bimetallic actuator 8!] is arranged so that the long actuating arm thereof is normally stressed toward the front wall 35, the effective portion of the bimetallic element at extending diagonally upward across the front of the well and being thereby shielded from heat radiating from the burner receptacle fit of fibrous insulating material is retained against the outer surface of the bimetallic element by the screws 82 and shields the bimetallic element against the effect of heat radiated from the jacket Wall or circulating air.

A plurality of spacer rivets 85 mount a plurality of dielectric sheets upon the inner surface of the eifective portion of the bimetallic element 86, there being a first sheet 86 mounted a U-shaped tensioning against the inner surface 01 the bimetallic element, a second sheet 87 mounted on the intermediate portions of the rivets, and a third sheet 88 at the ends of the rivets. The intermediate sheet 81 has its longitudinal circuiting with each other, and the two

other sheets

86 and 83 provide a sandwich insulating shield to prevent contact of the resistance coil the combination. A

coil 93 is likewise energized.

The wires 2| and the ends of the igniter resistance element 53 are connected to a pair of conductor rivets 92, which extend through a spaced pair of insulator plates 93 closing an opening in the closure plate 37, the lip of the opening 9 3 being depressed so as to provide a countersink in which the outer insulator plate 93 is firmly seated. The outer ends of the conductor rivets 92 are provided with cars 95 to Which the conductor wires 9| are attached.

In Figs. 1 and 10 there is illustrated a manual starter button representative of a type of device of desirable utility in connection with the presing surface and having an outwardly opening,

providing a socket. mounted an enclosed spring The button supports a bar [lit at its inner extremity which is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting abutments carries a pair of contacts I08 adapted to engage a fixed pair of contacts constituting the terminals of the wires 28. A small heater coil I09 is mounted beneath the disc I93 with one ter- O eration hen o l i caused to flow th o gh the in et a .rtion theme! is ve ted upwardly throu h the oaplllarities of the wick into proximity with the resistance element 50. .At this time the igniter is cold a d th b m l el me t 8 is flex d ward the wall that the extremities of the stressing spring 66 rest against the outer surface of the wall 35. In reaching this position the inner surface of the valve 56 has engaged the bottom of the countersink and the outer conical surface thereof has forced the mounting spring 8| to travel beyond center and bow itselI outwardly to the extent that the end of the portion engages the limiting head I3 of the screw II. In this condition the valve 56 is spaced from the valve seat and the weight of the stem 51 causes it to cant to the position illustrated in Fig. 6, thereby opening the air inlet 48 and permitting the entry of pilot flame combustion supporting air. As soon as the manual button I04 is depressed to snap the disc I03 into contact-making position the resistance element 50 becomes hot, and in a few seconds will ignite some of the oil, whereupon a dame will commence and will flow with the oil into the interior of the burner receptacle. At the same time the heater coils 90 and I08 are energized, the heater coil 30 causing the bimetallic element to curl outwardly until the disc 63 forces the mounting spring BI to snap inwardly from the position shown in full outline in Fig. 8 to the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 8, this being due to the crossbar 58 engaging the inper surface of the wall 35. At this point the valve 56 is still spaced from the bottom of the countersink due to engagement of the edge of disc 63 with the spring 6i and thereby limiting the amount of flexing of the spring so that combustion-supporting air co tinues to flow through the igniter body to support the pilot flame therein.

When the heater coil I09 has suificiently heated the snap disc I03 to cause it to spring outwardly the circuit is opened, thereby de-energizing the resistance element 50 and the heater coils and I09. The bimetallic element 80 thereupon moves inwardly from the position illustrated in Fig. 8 to the position illustrated in Fig. 9, the inwardly bowed mounting spring BI engaging the outer surface of the valve 56 to force it flat against the valve seat and close tinguishing the pilot flame. The bimetallic element 80 thereupon cools to cause the valve mechanism to return to the position illustrated in Fig. 6, thus recocking the mounting spring BI and opening the air inlet opening 48 to permit air to scour the interior of the igniter body.

Flame deflector The inner end of the threaded portion of the body 25 is preferably provided with a pair of horizontally extending, internal grooves H0 in which is seated the inner end of a downwardly bent deflector plate I I I by which the pilot flame is spread laterally and deflected downwardly against the y bottom surface of the burner receptacle and caused to heat a localized area thereof in rapid order. vaporization of oil and initiation of combustion in the burner receptacle is thereby greatly expedited. As seen more clearly in Fig. 12, the lateral edges of the plate III are preferably provided with a pair of notches II2 into which small portions of the igniter body may be displaced to retain the deflector plate in position.

A modification of the deflector is illustrated in Fig. 13 wherein it is seen that a burner receptacle the air inlet 48, thereby ex- Modified well construction In Fig. 12 there is illustrated portions of a modified igniter body comprising a cylindrical portion I25 and a well I26 as previously described, in which is mounted a resistance element I21 supporting a wick member I28. The wick member and resistance element are mounted adjacent the inlet to the body so as to leave the cylindrical portion clear for passage of a cleaning tool when the plug I29 is removed. The upper portion of the front wall of the well is provided with an air inlet opening I30 with which may be associated a valve and valve actuator as previously described. In this form of the invention the internal partitions have been eliminated since in many appliances the draft through the well would not be strong enough to disturb the operation of the igniter.

Modified air valve actuator In Fig. 14 there is illustrated an oil burning appliance comprising a jacket I35 housing a heat exchanger I36 and an associated oil burner receptacle I31 as previously described. A combined oil inlet and igniter I30 is associated with the burner receptacle and is connected to an automatic float valve I33 in accordance with standard practice. The igniter resistance element is controlled by a circuit including a manual switch I40, a thermostat I, a controller M2, and a transformer I43. Combustion under forced draft is achieved by means of a blower I exhausting into a plenum chamber I45 in which the burner receptacle is mounted. Details of the control circuit are immaterial, this illustration being exemplary of automatic control circuits of many types with which burners of the type under consideration having igniters of the present invention associated therewith may be arranged. The point of illustrating the control means is to show that the igniter may be placed under control of a thermostat I II connected to the transformer I43 through a pair of wires I46 extending from the control box I42 which embodies means to actuate the float valve and the blower. In such a circuit the igniter would not be energized when warm air at the thermostat or heat reaching some other portion of the control means would prevent reignltion under dangerous conditions.

Fig. 14 also illustrates a modification wherein the actuator comprises a simple bimetallic strip I" on which is mounted a valve I48 adapted to close an air inlet opening in the front wall of the well. The bimetallic strip is normally flexed to warp away from the ignited well so that the air inlet opening will be open when the pilot flame is ignited. As the pilot flame burns the wall of the well will become heated and radiate heat against the bimetallic strip, thereby causing it to warp toward the wall and close the air inlet opening, thus snufling out the pilot flame. The wall will thereupon become cool, permitting the bimetallic strip to warp outwardly whereby Modified igniter resistance element Fig. 15 illustrates a burner receptacle I50 having a combined inlet and igniter 15! associated therewith as previously described. A pair of Wires I52 extend through the closure plate I53 and are connected at their inner extremities to a resistance element I54 having a lower transverse portion passing through the opening in the large source of radiant heat closely adjacent the upper surface of the wick member. Such a large heating element may be desirable in some cases, particularly in regions of extremely low temperatures or in some appliances where high draft conditions exist, the high draft resulting in lowering the temperature within the igniter body.

Having illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined oil inlet and igniter for a vaporizingoil burner of the type comprising an open receptacle having an interior portion onto which oil may flow to be evaporated by the heat of combustion, said receptacle also comprising air inlet means for continuously admitting air to mix with the evaporated oil and support combustion thereof, comprising a hollow member adapted to communicate with the interior of said receptacle, means for supplying oil to said receptacle through said member, electric igniting means mounted in said hollow member to ignite a pilot flame therein, said hollow member having an air inlet opening thereinto for the admission of combustion supporting air, a valve adapted to close said opening, a bimetallic actuator, a resistance heater mounted adjacent said bimetallic actuator, means simultaneously to energize said igniting means and said resistance heater and means connecting said valve to said actuator comprising a spring assembly movable to two overcenter positions whereby the relative position of said valve with respect to said bimetallic actuator may be changed and means to efiect such movement upon heating and cooling of said actuator as a result of energization and deenergization of said heater whereby momentary closing of said valve is efiected subsequent to deenergization of said heater.

2. A combined oil inlet and igniter for a vaporizing oil burner of the type comprising an open receptacle having an interior portion onto which oil may flow to be evaporated by the heat of combustion, said receptacle also comprising air inlet means for continuously admitting air to mix with the evaporated oil and support combustion thereof, comprising a hollow member adapted to communicate with the interior of said receptacle, means for supplying oil to said receptacle mounted on said hollow member to ignite a pilot flame therein, said hollow member having an air inlet opening thereinto for the admission of combustion supporting air, a valve adapted to close said opening, a bimetallic actuator, a resistance heater mounted adjacent said bimetallic actuator, means adapting said resistance heater to be energized simultaneously with said electric ignitmentary closing of said valve is effected subsequent to deenergization of said heater.

8. An igniter for a vaporizing oil burner of the vaporized by the heat of combustion, said receptacle also comprising air inlet means for continuously admitting adapted for oil burning, a second receptacle adapted for oil burning, means adapted to supply oil for burning to said receptacles at a controlled rate, flame conduit ceptacle will be vaporized by said vaporizing and ignition means, mixed with said one part of said combustion air and ignited and thereby generate heat to vaporize more of said oil to mix with the flame of said ignited mixture, then said oil rich flame will mix with said other part of said air to project said resulting flame through said conduit into said first receptacle and ignite said oil supplied to said first receptacle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including a temperature actuated means adapted to control the combustion air supply to said second receptacle comprising a valve for said combustion air en trance means and a bimetal operator for said valve.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including an elec trio heating means for said operator and means adapting said electric heating means to be energized whenever said electric ignition means is energized.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including a two position over center spring means interposed between said bimetallic operator and said valve whereby as said electric heating means is energized and said spring is in the first of its two positions said valve will open to a maximum position, then said spring will move to its other position and said valve will take a lesser position of opening, and as said heating means is deenergized said valve will first move to its closed position then said spring will move to its first position and said valve will stand partially open as said bimetallic operator approaches ambient temperature.

8. A first receptacle adapted for oil burning a second receptacle adapted for oil burning, means adapted to supply oil for burning to said receptacles at a controlled rate, flame conduit means adapted to connect the interiors of said two receptacles, means adapted to supply combustion air to said first receptacle, means adapted to supply combustion air to said second receptacle, a combined vaporizing and electric ignition means 12 within said second receptacle, means adapted to direct towards said combined vaporizing and elecpart of said combustion part of said combustion air being limited to an amount less than the air requirement tor complete combustion of the oil vaporized by the operation of said combined vaporizing and electric ignition means, means adapted to direct toward! said flame conduit means another part of said combustion air supplied to said second receptacle. means adapted on a call for heat to operate said oil supply means to supply oil to said receptacles, and means adapted on a call for heat to initiate the operation at said combined vaporizing and electric ignition means, whereby on a call for heat oil will be supplied to both said receptacles, oil in said second receptacle will be vaporized by said combined vaporizing and electric ignition means and mixed with said one part of said combustion air and ignited and thereby generate heat to vaporize more of said oil to mix with the flame of said ignited mixture, then said all rich flame will mix with said other part of said air to pro ject said resulting flame through said conduit into said first receptacle and ignite said 011 supplied to said first receptacle.

ALBERT L JUDSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,257,972 McCollum Oct. '7. 1941 2,263,999 McCollum Nov. 25, 1941 2,309,319 Johnston Jan. 20, 1943 2,353,880 Cooper July 18, 1944 2,393,233 Breese Jan. 22, 1946 2,438,823 Resek et al. Mar. 30, 1948 2,481,631 Tramontini Sept. 13, 1949 2,492,756 McCollum Dec. 27, 194! 2,500,663 Cleveland Mar. 14, 1959 2,520,159 Long Aug. 29, 1950