US2734771A

US2734771A - Self-cleaning humidifier

Info

Publication number: US2734771A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1956-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1973-02-14

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1952 NAW Feb. 14, 1956 J. F. KING, JR 2,734,771

SELF-CLEANING HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 18. 1952 2 Sheets-Shea t 2 BY ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent() SELF-CLEANIN G HUMIDIFIER James F. King, Jr., Winston-Salem, N. C., assignor to The Bahnson Company, Winston-Salem, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application February 18, 1952, Serial No. 272,038

14 Claims. (Cl. 299-63) This invention relates to humidiers and particularly to humidiers of the type wherein vwater is supplied to a rapidly rotating impeller disk from which it is thrown by centrifugal force against a grid ring having a row of stationary blades or teeth circumferentially surrounding the path of the periphery of the disk and thus atomized to be entrained by a stream of air blown past the hu-I ring. In the case of a humidifier operated in a room wherein there is an appreciable amount of lint in the air, such as in a textile mill, the lint is drawn into the air stream and is deposited on the rim of the casing and on the glid ring where it collects moisture and, due to the passage of the air, extends in the direction of the air stream in elongated tassels or whiskers. Moisture which is deposited on these tassels by the passage of the vmoisture-laden air and/ or by drainage from the casing, is

blown from the collected lint in the form of drops which injure the materials being manufactured. Similar undesirable effects result from the formation of drops on the lint which is caught by and collected on the grid ring.

U. S. Patent No. 1,966,872, issued July 17, 1937, discloses a humidifier structure wherein the formation of stringy, tassel like deposits of large amounts of lint or other foreign matter on the rim of the casing is rendered impossible. Humidifiers of the general type with which the invention is concerned are disclosed also in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,544,418 and 1,745,239 to Bahnson.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a humidifier structure which is adapted to prevent the accumulation of lint and dirt and the formation of tasseisor whiskers on the grid ring, e. g. the teeth thereof.

It is a further object to provide means for effecting periodic rotation of the grid ring so as to move the teeth of the ring past a stationary cleaning device for the teeth, the device for rotating the ring being constituted by a small turbine powered by the water under pressure which is otherwise normally delivered to the impeller disk for atomizing during the humidifying periods, and the cleaning device preferably being constituted by one or more small spray nozzles positioned adjacent the grid teeth which are also supplied by the pressure water.

A more specific object is to provide an automatic cleaning device for the teeth of the grid ring comprising a small water turbine for rotating the grid teeth past a stationary cleaning unit, a humidity controlled inlet pipe for bringing in water under pressure to the humidifier, a valve having an inlet port connected to the inlet pipe and two outlet ports connected respectively to an outlet pipe leading to the ring driving turbine and a second outlet pipe ice leading to the impeller disk, and means controlled by the ring as it rotates for controlling the valve insuch manner that water is delivered to the turbine for a predetermined period at the beginning of each humidifying period.

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodi-r ment thereof when taken in conjunction with the appertaining description.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation with the cover plate for the impeller disk removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the valve and its control as seen from the front in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the valve and control as Lseen from the rear;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the valve and its control;

Fig. 6 is a view of the valve in section;

Fig. 7 is another view of the valve with part of the cover plate broken away; j

Fig. 8 is a view in top plan of the cam by which the valve is controlled;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the control cam for the valve; and

Fig. 10 is aA view partly in section of the spray nozzles.

With reference now to the drawings, 10 is a casing for deflection of an air stream passing to the humidifier unit, the air stream direction being from right to left with respect to the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2. A main shaft 11, receiving power from any suitable source such as a motor 12, drives a rotary water impeller disk 13'1ixed to the shaft. Water is supplied to the unit through. an inlet feed pipe 15, in which is placed a main valve 20 that is under the control vof a humidity responsive device 21, as legended on the drawing, such as any vof the well known types of humidistats commonly available.

A grid ring 18 is provided with au annular row of teeth 19 against which water is thrown from the periphery of the continually rotating disc 13 thus breaking up the water into a ne mist which becomes entrained in ,the air stream passing by the casing 10. Ring 18 is mounted for rotation, it being attached to the outer rotatable race 56 of a ball bearing assembly, the inner stationary race 5.7 being secured to casing 10 and the vball bearings being shown at 58. However as will be explained hereinafter, grid ring 18 is normally stationary except for a brief period at the beginning of -each humidifying operation when it is causedto rotate and to thus move the teeth 19 past a stationary nozzle 59 through which water is discharged thus cleaning off the teeth.

When the humidifier unit isin operation motor 12 driving the impeller disk 13 'may be run continuously, butin accordance with normal procedures, water will be supplied to the impeller disk 13 through line 55 only when the relative humidity of the air being conditioned falls below the desired value, causing valve 20 in pipe 15 to open. This valve recloses when the air under treatment has regained its desired moisture content. I

Inlet pipe 15 extends from valve 20 to a second valve 60 which as seen clearly in Fig. 6 includes an upper valve chamber 61, a lower valve chamber 62, af wall 63 separating the two chambers and a valve stern 64 which passes through andl operates in a central aperture 65 in the wall 63. Valve stem 64 carries an upper washer 66 which seats upon and controls fluid ow from the upper end of aperture 65 leading to chamber 61 and a lower washer 67 which similarly seats upon the lower end of aperture 65 and controls fluid flow to chamber 62.

For guiding valve stern 64 in its movement within aperture 65,

y diaphragms

68, 69 are employed in the upper and lower valve chambers. These diaphragms have their rim portions anchored in the cytindrical walls of the valve chambers `and are secured to -thevalve stern 64 at their centers by machine screws 70 which pass through the diaphragms and washers into the opposite end faces f the Stem.

Disposed Ybetween 'the upper kend wallet fthe valve casing fand the upper diaphragm "68 is a coiled 'spring `71 which bearsY against this diaphragm 'to 'thereby normally load the valve stem inthe downward 'direction to 'the position shown in VFig. `6,` Tnthis-,post'iom 'water entering valve A60 Ythrough pipe 'will accordingly pass 'through an internal passageway/72 in 'partition wall 62.10' central aperture 65, thence downward into lower .valve .chamber 62, out of chamber 62 via another .inl'ernalpassageway 721 leading through wall '63, and outwardffrom vali/e6() through pipe 75 which leads to a small.turbine "76. Water issuing from n`o`zizle `77 -imde'rpressurev impinges upon the blades 78 'of vthetur'bine .rotor j79 causing the Ylatter to rotate. Water dischag'es `from lthe turbinerotor through an oi1flet'792z ahd drops upon the continuously -rotating disk 13 which breaksgit up into aline. mistthat becomes ert'r'a'ined Yin the passing air stream.

Turbine rotor .'79 Yserves to rotate the vgrid 'ring 18 and 'the' coupling between the two is constituted 'by a reduction gear `trair`1,shown.best in Fig. 1, fand Vwhich includes pinion g`ear"80 driven by rotor -7-9 meshed 11W-ith ring .gearjsiluwhiclh' .drives .pinion y82 that meshes with iin'g gear 83 that drives pinion 84 that mesheswith the teeth 56a on bearingrace S6 upon which lgrid rin'g. 18 is 'mounten A f lhefr'eductiongeantrain 8184is carried fin arhous'ing or gear box 98 which along with the turbine 76 ismo'unted upon 'the frarne of motorlZ by-screws -99and1100. The connection at screw 99-forms a-iixedfpivotandtheiconnection at screw Y100, the .lattenpassedsthrough 4a :.slot '100hz in the vhousing eperrnitsfof :a --slight adjustment in order'to effect atproperirneslh between ,vthenlastoutput gear 84 of thegear train andthe .combinedfgear and bearing race 56. Y

Revertng -to ,valve-A60, --itwill-also `be seen,-fromFigs. o Nand7 that .-pipe 455 which supplies-.water rtoyimpeller disk l13: :connects with another internal epassageway y85 in wall 63 leading Vto the upper -valve;chamberf-61. fAs previouslyexplained valve-1stem 64iis normally loaded by spring 71 infa downward directionasviewedinflig.-36 so that lower chamber 62 normally/@communicateswith -passagewaysr72 and 74 '-and thus :water enteringlvalve 60 *from inlet-pipe 15 willrpassoutfofnthe valvegthrough line 75 leading toi turbine F76. When-howeverwalvetstem v:64 is moved in an upwarddirection =from. that shown-Tin Fig. so as `toelosefof` lowerrchamber ..62 fromffpassa-g'eway 725 and place thelattenin communicationwith upper chamber 61, -water entering -lthevalve Twilli-pass outff the same through pipef55fand` be .fdelivere'dfito ltheimpellen `disk y-13 -for 1 atomi-zing.

x Valve `stem 64, in effect,l terminateslin a -dntolbutton 86- which' projects.- slightly ybeyond -the fface-of ltheilower end closure plate of-fthevalve casing-fandibutton 86 is arranged to'lie-in fthe=path1of aS'camf87-forme'd-at the outer, vfree end of anfarm88. The-innerfend ofiarmf88 is pivotally 'mountedtfat =89 fupon oneb'face Aof a mltilobed circular cam "plate f90'1and 3a spring 91ass'ociated vwith the farm' serves 'to'loa'df-'it clockwse,- a's-lviewed Vin Fig. f3,':against stop fpin ``92. 'lAi'secodlstopfpin 'fcserves to limit motion of a-rmffSSlin-'the oppositeldirection 'of movement.

vCain plate 9er-is rotatably mounted atiits'center on -kavsru'dv94'which ttrr'eadsfintothewall of "valve 60 and the fourlobes 95'of"`the cam'whichare:located"on"'the iopposite 'side i from i the "pivo'tally mounted l'cam 87 are Iafdat'ate'd to be contacted in succession by:"the"one"or more circumferentially spaced lrollers' 956 iont'ldnlgridaing 1I8. "Asfviewedtinfflig1,rottion 6i 4turbil're 'rotor`79 eourreretdekwse effectsL rotation fgrdr ring 1'8 inta clockwise direction. Hence as each roller 96 (two are used in rthe illustrated embodiment spaced 180 apart-3 comes into engagement with the cam lobes 95, cam plate will be caused to advance counterclockwise through an angle of 90. In the case of the illustrated construction, cam 87 is always located just to the left of valve control button 86 at the stattfofa humidifying operation and hence vfour .successive engagements .between the rollers 96 anl"ca'ml"o`b`es 95 'requiring `two 'revolutions of grid ring 518 willieffe'ct onecornplete revolution rjot cam platefSO-thus-:bring'ing foam 87 jint'o engagement fwithfwalve control button 86. When contact betweentheileaing edge of `earn 87 and button 86isestab1ished.aslplate 90 rotates, the V loading elect o'n the 'button by spring 71 will result in car`n-87 Iandlarm AJrbein'g rotated slightly clockwise about pivot 89 against the loading of spring 91 until it abuts stop pin 93. Continued rotation of plate 9.0 and cam S7 then causes button 86 to move upwardly. The arrangement ofthe valve parts issuchthat whenbutton' S6 and hence valve stem '64a1so'has1nroved for approximately 50% 'of its stroke,the pressure .from the water acting against 'diaphragm "68 .will 'causethe stem 621 to'move jquic'kly tothe opposite position 'from 'that shown in lFig. '6 to thus 'cut olf thewaterfromturbine 47'6`androute it through 'pipe "55 to 'the impelleril'. iMovement of button 86 to its extreme upward vlpositi'qrlv'ill thennper'n'iit "cam 87 to `r'esumeits springloadedposition against the forward 'stoppin `92 Yand thus remove itself out of the :path orbutton 86 so "aspnet Ato inter'fere'wth downward movement of "the"button Vunder the restoring force of spring71'when .water 'is cut 'dit atvalve L20 at the end 'of `the 'humidifyi'ng operation.

vFor cleaning ot the lip of .'the.,shroud 'or lcasing 10 which `is"loc`ated jatljacent'the periphery of grid ring 18, the'latterJcanbeprovided'with 'a brush or blade "97. which ,bear'siagairist and cleans'the casing lip as ring 18 is rotated.

-'Operaton lt is believed `thatthe manner in which the 'cleaning devicefor fthe Vteeth Vof the 'grid ring `operates willjbe clearly" understood'lfrom `theV foregoing description. "Howeverjinrbriefresum, When'thereis noY call for moisture, 'control `21.oc'cupies a'position such that valve Y20uis jcut 'o'andcam 87.isjl`oc`ated just to the right ofbutton`86 con- Vtrolling valve '60. Motor 12 and .the'impeller diskl rotate continuously although this is not necessarily when valve`20: isfclosed.

VAs'surriin'gthere is now arcall for additional moisture -in thefair stream, as soon as valve '20 is opened by control -21 "water will ow `under zpressure 'through rpipe I5Jto valve"60,"through this valve topipelI'S, and'thence'to'turbine 76`causing theturbinerotori79 to revolve. :Rotary motion of rotor79 `is-transmitted through'the` reduction gearv train 80,-/8A to the ring gear -or outer raef' to whichgrid ring`18 isattached thusfeiiectiugrotationofthe latter, a11'dfthe;gridteeth.19 will be cleaned as they move past 'the streams, of water issuing` fromfthe two, convergently arranged nozzle. p'orts 459a inf the nozzlefhead S9 which is connected inf thepipeline 75.

'As grid ring l11S-rotates the two-l80 displaced rollers "'961willengage the cam lobes ".95 in successionandthus rQtatecamQplateJQ'. .In'the present embodimentcam ,plate -90 iis advanced 9'0 for each .engagement byJeafch 'rller96, tand since thereare'two of theA latter,v it 'will requireV two revolutions ofjgrid ring 18to-eiect :ne rev o lutionof, camrplate'90. Afterione revolution of p1ate90, cam 87 will be'brought against andfcause upward movement of button'86 and valvestem 64, `thus"trippingfthe valve stern toV itsother position which cuts outlet pipe '7.6 and connects .outlet pipe 55to inletpipe 15. This .stops turbine vrotorl'7 9, thuswbringing vthe reduction ,gear train an'dggrd ring '18 ,toY a standstill, andA waterv isjdelivelred ;insteadjhroughpipe to Lthe, impeller[c iiskfflu for atomizto clean off the lip 10a of casing 10. Blade 97 Ybears against the lip 10a and the friction therebetween also serves as a brake to prevent the grid ring 18 from overrunning its predetermined angular travel of 720 Water will continue to be delivered to impeller disc 13 through pipe S until the desired condition of humidity, as determined by the setting of control 21, is reached whereupon valve 20 will close cutting oft iiow of all water to the humidifier. This then completes one cycle of operation and the device is ready to begin a new cycle as soon as further moisture is needed in the air stream passing by the unit.

In conclusion, I desire it to be made clear that the illustrated embodiment is to be considered typical rather than limitative of the structure which may be developed to carry out my inventive concept as defined in the appended claims. A brush type of cleaner could be substituted for the spray jets shown, and it is also of course possible to provide more or less than two revolutions of grid ring 18 by modifying the cam lobes 9S or changing the number of rollers 96 or cams 87. Using only one of the latter, instead of the pair illustrated, would for example require four revolutions of grid ring 18 to effect an actuation of valve 60. Other modifiiations along this line will also be suggested.

I claim:

1. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to be connected to a sourceof water under pressure, a rotatable impeller to which Water is delivered from said inlet, a motor connected to said impeller for rotating the same, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, cleaning means cooperative with said grid ring for cleaning the teeth of said ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring for effecting rotation thereof, and valve controlled pipe means extending to said turbine from said water inlet.

2. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim l wherein the water discharged from said turbine is fed to said impeller.

3. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a Water inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller to which water is delivered from said inlet, a motor connected to said impeller for rotating the same, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, a nozzle positioned to direct a stream of water against the teeth of said grid ring for cleaning the teeth as said grid ring is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring for effecting rotation thereof, and valve controlled pipe means extending to said turbine and nozzle from said Water inlet.

4. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller for distributing water delivered thereto, a motor connected to said impeller for rotating the same, first pipe means for conveying water from said inlet to said impeller, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, a cleaning device adapted to clean the teeth of said grid ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring for effecting rotation thereof, second pipe means for conveying water from said inlet to said turbine, and valve means controlling flow of water through said first and second pipe means.

5. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising an impeller for distributing water delivered thereto under pressure, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed by said impeller, a cleaning device cooperative with said grid ring, and means effecting rotaton of said grid ring comprising a turbine, a pipe for conveying water under pressure to said turbine and valve means in said pipe controlled by said grid ring for terminating water ow to said turbine upon completion of a predetermined rotary travel of said grid ring.

' 6. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a waiter inlet;`

under pressure from said inlet, a rotatable assembly mounted within said casing said assembly comprising a toothed grid ring located adjacent said impeller and a ring gear, a cleaning device adapted to cooperate with said grid ring for cleaning the grid teeth, a turbine, a gear train coupling the turbine rotor to said ring gear, a pipe extending from said inlet to the rotor of said turbine for efiecting rotation thereof and of said rotatable assembly, a second pipe extending from said inlet to said impeller and valve means disposed in said pipes for selectively controlling fiow of water between said inlet and said first and second pipes.

8. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim 7 wherein said valve means is controlled by said rotatable assembly.

9. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller for distributing water delivered thereto, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, a cleaning device adapted to clean the teeth of said grid ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring for effecting rotation thereof, a control valve, actuating means for said valve, said valve having an inlet communicable alternatively with one or the other of a pair of outlets, pipes leading from said outlets to said impeller and turbine, respectively, another pipe 1eading from said water inlet to the inlet on said valve, a rotatable cam plate, means carried by said cam plate and movable into engagement with said valve actuating means, and cam actuating means carried by said grid ring and engageable with said cam plate for rotating the latter through a predetermined angle for each predetermined angular movement of said grid ring.

l0. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim 9 wherein said valve is normally spring loaded to a position connecting the valve inlet with that outlet leading to said turbine.

l1. A self-cleaning humidifier as defined in claim 9 wherein said cam plate includes a plurality of cam surfaces engaged in succession by said cam actuating means.

l2. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a water inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller to which water is delivered from said inlet, a motor connected to said impeller for rotating the same, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, cleaning means cooperative with said grid ring for cleaning the teeth of said ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ling for effecting rotation thereof, said turbine being driven by water under pressure supplied thereto from said inlet.

13. A self-cleaning humidifier comprising a Vwater inlet adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure, a rotatable impeller for distributing water delivered thereto, a rotatable grid ring disposed adjacent said impeller for atomizing water distributed to it by said impeller, a cleaning device adapted to clean the teeth of said grid ring as the latter is rotated, a turbine coupled to said grid ring for effecting rotation thereof, a control valve, said valve including a pair of valve chambers, a first outlet leading to said impeller from one of said chambers, a second outlet leading to said turbine from the other of said chambers, an inlet adapted to establish cqmmugicationbetween saidywater ,inlet .and valve chambersland @valve steieont-rmligg ow af water Aselecnti-Yvel-y between said-valve inletyafnd valve ehanlbers-, and means egntlfl'ed by rotation-mf :said grid ring for actuating said valve 1,4,` A' self-,cleaning .humidifier as defined -ixr -claim 13 Whereinl pue. wall-f-,eachof said valve chambers is constimted by aldiaphragm connected -to'rsaid valve stem, and which further includes' spring means normally biasingl said valve stem' Etav apositiri wherei said valve inlet UN''TED STATES PATENTS Bahuson 6---- Sept. 9, .1952