US2770228A - Fuel burning wall space heater - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 13, 1956 NORDHOLT ET AL 2,770,228

FUEL BURNING WALL. SPACE HEATER Filed Sept. 11, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1. 46 F1012. F1614.

INVENTORS Lo 1111; E. arn 1501i Hurray Wz'liz o it? ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 L. E. NORDHOLT ETAL 2,770,228

FUEL BURNING WALL SPACE HEATER Filed Sept. 11, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 42 4a 2 72 FIG.6'. 66j 6 44 2s 20 4a 42 J V r /1 4/ {I 90 .56 90 5'0 INVENTORS 32 70 28 l 68 Louis E laz-a'fia l2 F1610. mm; Wz'lkoize BY W,

ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 L. E. NORDHOLT ET AL 2,770,228

FUEL. BURNING WALL SPACE HEATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 11, 1953 INVENTORS .50 1:11; I. flordfio It Maria Wz'lfia 1' 1e lll WAQMGpW ATTORNEYS 1956 E. NORDHOLT ET AL 2,770,228

FUEL BURNING WALL SPACE HEATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 11, 1953 FIG.14.-

INVENTORS L on Z'SE/lforafiol a Marrzy m1}; oz'ie ATTORNEYS United States atent O 2,770,228- FUEL BURNING WALL sPAcn HEATER Louis E. Nordholt and Murray Wilhoite, Nashville, Tenn.,

assignors to Temco; Inc.-, Nashville, Team, a corporation of Tennessee Application September 11, 1953, Serial No. 379,503

3 Claims. (Cl; 126- 116) This application relates to space heaters, and more particularly to a wall heater adapted to be installed in a recess in the wall of a room. r t I Wall heaters are known in the art and usually are adapted to be installed in the space between adjacent wall studs with verylittle protrusion into the room. Certain wall heaters of this type heat principally by radiation and others by convection. The heater which is walls of the recess in which the heater is installed or of I the flue to which the heater is vented.

Otherobjects and advantages of the invention reside in specific structural details and will be made more capparent from the following description and accompany- ,ing drawings, in which: t Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a wall heater embodying this invention and showing the same installed in the yvallof a room. c p i i j i Q '21; Figure g is a side elevational view of a (Wall heater emhodyi'ngthis invention taken substantially on line 2-2 of ure i I Figure 3L is a front ele vational View of=thewall heater removed to illustrate details. i

shown in Figure Ia -but with the frontgrilles and panel F'gure 4is a vertical sectional view taken substantially .online 4- 4 ofFigurel. a i t a .1

Figure 5 is a-vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 5530f Figure 2. L

a Figure 6 is an enlargedhorizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure l.

on line 7+7 of Figure B Figure 8 is an enlarged 111 T3 r i e Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken horizontal sectional view taken trating supporting and fastening means; y

Figure l-l is an exploded'perspective view of 'the wall heater shown'in Figured-.

' ilding to: heat two rlooins on opposite sides of tha wall.

few area an line F gures and 10 are enlaifgetljfragmentaryviews Figure 1'2is afview, ggrresponding generally to ute :and showing a medified form of heat r embodying. Vehtioh for installation'in. an interiorw wall ot xa taken substanailetl area :liiie 2,770,228 Patented Nov. 13, 1956 ice Referring now to the drawings, the heater embodying this invention comprises a substantially rectangularcas ing 20 having top 22, bottom 24, back 26, and side 28 panels, preferably of sheet metal (Figures 4, 6, 7, and 11). The casing side panels 28 preferably are integral with the back panel 26, while the top and bottom panels 22 and 24 of the casing 20 are formed of separate sheets having side and back edge flanges which interiorly overlap the corresponding edges of the casing side and back panels 28 and 26 and are spot welded thereto, as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 11. The front'edges of the casing side panels 28 are turned inwardly to form a shoulder 30, best shown in Figure 7, and thence outwardly topro vide inwardly offset front flanges 32, to whichsheet metal screws 34 secure overlapping' side flanges of a relatively short casing front panel 36. (Figures 3, 4, and 11); 4 The casing front panel 36 terminates short of the top and bottom panels 22 and 24 of the casing 20 to provide relatively large lower and upper front openings 38 and 40, respectively, that constitute a lower cold-air inlet and an upper hot-air outlet, as shown best in Figures 3 and 4. Further, the front flanges 32 terminate just short of the top and bottom panels 22 and 24 of the casing, as shown in Figure 11. The casing 20 is of a width slightly less than the conventional spacing between wall studs 42 (Figure 6), so that it will fit fairly snugly in a recess 44 formed in a wall 46 between adjacent studs. The depth of the casing 20 is slightly greatenthan that of thethickness of-a conventional dwelling wall, so that the heater protrudes slightly into the room. I

The side panels 28 of the casing 201 are provided with exterior verticallydisposedflange-like spacer members .48, each generally V-shaped in cross=section, one leg of which is secured fiat against the corresponding side panel and the other leg of which is adapted to yieldingly engage against the side of a stud 42 for relatively snugly retaining the casing 20 in positionin the wall; recess 44, as shown in Figure 5 and 6. At its bottom, the casing 20 is supported on top of the wall sill 50 (Figure 2) by a transverse flange-like bracket;52. Preferably, the bracket 52 and the spacer members 48 are secured to the casing 20 by spot welding. 1

The lower interior portion of the casing 20 constitutes a burner chamber 54 for thereception of a transverselyelongated conventional gas burner 56 ,and its eontrol accessories, such as a shut-off valve 58, a manifold 60, etc, best illustrated in Figures 5 and 1 1, and the side panels 28 of the casing are provided with louvers 62 adjacent the burner chamber. Above the burner phamber 54 the casing 20 is provided with aliner having top 64, back 66, and side '68 panels extending substantially in spaced parallel relationship with the'top 22, back 26, and side 28 panels of the casing to provide side and back vertical passagewaysjtl and 72, respectively, and a top passageway 74 between the liner and the casing. Prefthatintepiorly overlap and are spot Welded to the linerside and back panels 23 and 26. The lower end of the liner terminates at a point slightly below the top of the burner 56. The front edges of the linenside panels 168 overlap the front casing flanges 32' and are spot welded thereto for securingthe liner within the casing 20, as best shown in Figures 6 to 8, and 11.

Supported within the casing lz il, i. e., Within the liner,

in overhanging relation. to the/burner 56;"is a hollow sack or chimney-like heat exchanger 76, preferahly;

formed of two sheet-metal sections each having upwardly ,a ver inggrooves therein of substantially con's'tantly, d ecreasing cross-section. These two section s ar e welded together along side and upper edge flanges 73 to form to the liner side panels.

an open-bottom lower portion 80 of substantially uniform interior cross-section, an intermediate portion 32, and an upper portion 84 having laterally-spaced tubes 86 of upwardly decreasing cross-section. The intermediate portion 82 has a center hollow section 88 that is closed at the top and has upwardly converging front and rear walls. This center section 88 is in open communication at its sides with lateral sections 90 in the form of upwardly divergent tubular passageways of upwardly decreasing cross-section that merge into the spaced tubes 86. The front and rear walls of the lower portion 80 may be provided with lateral reinforcing indentations 92.

The heat exchanger 76 is provided, adjacent its bottom edge, with lateral tabs 94 adapted to engage in corresponding vertical slots 96 (Figure 11) in the bottom edge of the liner side panels 68 for correctly aligning and positioning the heat exchanger centrally within the liner in spaced relation to the back panel 66 thereof. Preferably, the edges of the slots 96 are reinforced with exterior U- shaped slotted members 98 having the legs thereof welded The heat exchanger 76 also has a pair of laterally-spaced depending apertured lugs 100 (Figures 3, 7, and 11) adapted to be secured, as by bolts 102, to corresponding apertured portions 104 of the burner 56, beneath itsgas ports, for supporting the heat exchanger within the liner. The heat exchanger 76 is of substantially uniform lateral dimension slightly less than the width of the liner so that the side flanges 78 of the heat exchanger are closely adjacent the liner side panels 68 and thereby provide front and back air-heating passages 106 and 108 (Figures 4 and 7). Preferably a central lower port 110 is provided in the lower portion of the heat exchanger 76 both for observance of the burner flame and for lighting the burner 56 or a pilot (not shown). V

Secured to the front of the heat exchanger 76, adjacent the upper end of its intermediate portion 82, is an upwardly and forwardly inclined laterally-extending baflle --or deflector 111. The deflector 111 is somewhat above the top edge of the front casing panel 36 for reasons later explained.

ship with and above the front edge of the bottom wall 114 to provide a'laterally-elongated front opening 122. The bottom wall 114 is formed from a'separate sheet having depending side and back edge flanges which are exteriorly overlapped by corresponding edges of the side and back walls 116 and 11S and spot welded thereto.

Projecting upwardly from the rear of the top wall 120 of the hood 112 is a laterally-elongated vent pipe 124 which extends through corresponding apertures in the liner top panel 64'and the casing top panel 22 for connection to an appropriate flue (not shown) concealed within the dwelling wall 46. 7

Within the hood 112 is an angular plate-like deflector 126 (Figure 4) which extends from the back wall 118,

at a point just below the vent pipe 124, forwardly and downwardly for ashort distance, and thence downwardly -to. the bottomwall 11 4 of the hood just rearwardly of the tubes 86 of the heatlexchanger 76. The hood 112 is secured to the liner 'by U-shap'ed apertured clips 127 "(Figure 9), Which engage over apertured brackets 128 -welded to the liner side? panels 68 and are pierced by sheet-metal screws 130 that extend through the depending side flanges of the hood. Thus the hood 112 serves to correctly position the upper end of the heat exchanger 76 within the liner.

i installed in a wall recess, the front of the heater is finished off by a generally-rectangular sheet-metal front structure which includes decorative side, bottom, and top sheet- metal moldings 132, 134, and 136, respectively, that fit closely against the corresponding edges of the casing and those portions of the wall of the room about the recess. At its four inner corners the finishing struc-- ture is provided with apertured brackets 138 (Figure 10) which are secured to the underlying shoulders 30 of the casing side panels 28 by sheet-metal screws 140. Thus the front sheet-metal structure is secured to the casing; 20. The front structure also includes a central panel 142 which is welded to the side moldings 132 and disposed in spaced overlying relationship with the front casing panel 36 to provide a passageway 144 therebetween (Figure 4). The panel 142 has angular flanges at its top and bottom for reasons later described.

The front decorative structure also includes a top panellike sheet-metal detachable grille 146 which overlies the hot-air outlet 40 and a similar lower detachable grille 148 which overlies the cold-air inlet 38 and also provides access to the burner chamber 54. The outlet grille 146 has inturned flanges on its upper and lower edges which rest respectively against a shoulder 150 (Figures 3 and 4) formed by an inward offset in the lower edge of the top molding 136 and the top angular flange of the central panel 142. The grille 146 has depending tabs 152 which are received in retaining slots in the top flange of the central panel 142 while a sheet-metal screw 154 secures the top portion of the grille to the shoulder 150 on the top molding 136. The inlet grille 148 likewise has inturned top and bottom flanges. The bottom flange has depending tabs 156 which are received in retaining slots in the bottom molding 134, while the top flange rests on the lower flange of the central panel 142. The inlet grille 148 may be detachably retained in place by a spring detent arm (not shown) which engages behind the lower edge of the central panel flange.

In operation of the heater, after the gas is turned on and the burner 56 lighted, the hot products of combustion will pass upwardly through the heat exchanger 76,

thus heating the same, and into the hood 112 from whence they are conducted, via the vent pipe 124, into a flue for escape to the atmosphere. In their passagethrough the heat exchanger 76, the hot gases are cooled and accordingly contract. Their consequent reduction in volume is compensated for by the constantly decreasing interior cross-sectional area of the heat exchanger, to thus more effectively extract heat from the combustion gases before they are vented to atmosphere. It also has been found in actual practice that because of the configuration of the heat exchanger 76 the same is heated uniformly laterally ortransversely thereof with the result that no local hot spots develop and the air wiping the exterior surfaces of the exchanger, as described later, is heated more uniformly. Thus, there is a more uniform distribution of heat laterally of the heater. Further, it has been found that the configuration of the exchanger reduces and minimize's eddying or swirling of the hot combustion gases in their upward passage therethrough to thereby increase the efficiency of the exchanger. Cold room air enters the heater through the lower grille 148 and supplies combustion air to the burner 56. Additionally, some of the cold air passes upwardly in the front and rear air- heating passageways 106 and 108, to'thereby wipe the exterior surfaces of the hot heat exchanger andbecome highly heated. Hence, an updraft of 'hot'air is created which emerges through the grille 146 covering the hotair outlet.

It will be noted thatthe upwardly and outwardly-inlclined deflector '111 extends subs'tantiallythe Width of t-mai-ntain theecas'ing panels relatively cool.

upwardly along the rear surfaces of the heat exchanger in the rear. passageway I08 flows outwardly between the two tubes 86 of the heat exchanger, above the deflector .111, for emergence through the upper portion of the ;'grille.

Since theliner walls also become warm during operation of the heater because of radiant heat from the heat exchanger 76, air also flows upwardly in the vertical passageways 70 and 72 between the liner and the casing 20 and thenceforwardly in the top horizontal passageway 74between the linerand thecasing for emergence through the'extreine upper portion "of the grille 146. The air thus flowing in thepassageways between the liner and the casing is obviously substantially cooler than the air which .conta'cts theheat exchanger 76 and, therefore, serves to Hence, the possibility of overheating :the walls of the recess in which the heater is installed is minimized. It also will be noted that the relatively cool air flowing outwardly in the passageway 74 Wipes the surface of vent pipe 124 to cool the same and thus extract additional heat from the combustion gases flowing therethrough. Consequently, the temperature of the combustion gases is reduced conslderably before entry into the flue, to both minimize the posto augment the burner updraft and also to somewhat cool the hot products of combustion prior to their passage through the vent pipe 124. Hence, danger of overheating a flue is even further minimized. In this same connection, it is evident that if a back draft condition obtains in the vent pipe 124, any such draft will be deflected forwardly by the deflector 126 within the hood 112 to emerge 1.

from the front opening 122 of the hood for passage through the grille 146, Without danger of passing downwardlfy through the heat exchanger 76 and possibly blow- ;ingout the burner flame. r I Theinvention obviously. isadaptable to a dual wall. ms'tallation wherein .the heater heats the two spaces on opposite sides of a wall,.as shownin Figure 12. .This dual wall he ater also hasa substantially rectangular casing 220 comprising top 222, bottom 224, andside 228 panels, all

constructed similarly and connected together in the same manner as the corresponding casing panels of the aforejdes'cribed 1 single wall heater. the front edges of the casing side panels 228, however,

The rear edges, as well as :gareturhed inwardlyto formfront and rear shoulders 230, as best shown in Figures 13 and 14, and thence outwardly r gprgvideginwardly oifset frpntand rear flanges 232, to which sheet metal screws 234 secure overlapping side flanges of relatively short front and rear casing panels 236. These front and rear casing panels 236 terminate shortof the top and bottom panels 222 and 224 of the casing to provide large lower and upper openings at both the front and rear of the casing 220, these openings constituting lower cold-air inlets 238 and upper hot-air outlets 240, as in the aforedescribed single wall type of heater.

Obviously, the dual wall heater is adapted to be installed in an opening in a wall (not shown) between studs therein, so that both the front and rear faces of the heater will be exposed to two rooms on opposite sides of the wall. The side panels 228 of the casing are also provided with exterior spacer members 248 engageable with wall studs, and at its bottom the casing is supported by a r transverse generally U-shaped bracket 252 secured to the casingbottom panel 224, as by spot welding.

Wi h'n the burner chamber 254 of the dual wall heater there are provided two spaced T-shaped gas burners 256, supported in lparazlleh'sm on a single manifold 260, as is best shown in Figure 12;. Above the burner chamber 254 the casing is provided with a liner having top 264 and side 268 panels extending in sirbstam tially spaced parallel relationship with the top and side panels of the casing to provide vertical side coolingair passageways 270 and a top cooling-air passageway 274 between the liner and the casing. These liner panels 264 'and 268 are constructed similarly to those shown in the aforedescribed single wall installation and are similarly connected 'to the side 228 and top 222 panels of the casing. Because of the greater "depth of the heater, however, generally U-shaped vertical spacer elements 275 are interposed between the opposed pairs of casing and liner side panels 228 and 268 centrally in the side passageways 270 and are secured to one of the panels, as by spot welding. I

The heating unitremp-loyed in the dual wall he'aterconsists of two heat exchangers @276, each substantially identical to the. heat "exchanger 76 shown in the single wall heater, and arranged back to back. These heat exchangers 276 are secured together in spaced parallel relationship by plates or straps 277 which are spot welded to the exterior of the -low'er Eportion-s of the two exchangers, as best shown in Figures 12 and 14. Further, the lower edges of the opposed walls 'of the two exchangers 276 are arcuately recessed and bridged by means of open-bottom tunnel-like member 279. Thus, the lower portions of the two heat exchangers are in open communication with one another, through the member 276, for equalizing the draft and the combustion in each.

As in the single wall heater heretofore described, the heating unit of the dual wall heater is mounted on the two burners 256 by means of depending lugs 3%, While the twoheat exchangers'are properly cent-cred with the burner chamber 254 by engagement of their side flanges 278 within vertical slots formed in the upper edges of tab l-ike members 298 secured,*as by screws 299-, adjacent the lower edges of the side panels of: the liner. Preferably, within the lower portion and at the opposite sides of each of the two heat exchange elements 276 there are provided a pair of opposed upwardly-inclined recirculation bafiies 391. These baffles 301 tend to prevent turbulence of the upwardly ascending hot combustion ga'ses issuing from the burners'256 and also to prevent downflow or redirculation of combustion gases along the side edges of the two heat exchangers 276, which downflow obviously would decrease the Jeflioieiicy of the heat exchangers.

zaTheheat exchangers 276 are sp'acedfrom the front and b ackgcasing panels 236, to thereby provide front and b ack air-heating passages. 306 with a centralYair-heating passage 307 therebetween. Inclined heart-deflector baffles 311, similar to the baflie 111 shown in the aforedesc'ribed single wall heater are secured, as by depending .side flanges 313, to the side panels 368 of the liner, substantially midway of the height of the two hot-air outlet opening-s 240.

Supported within the upper portion of the liner in spaced relation to the top and side panels thereof is a sheet metal hood 312 having a bottom wall 314 provided with four spaced apertures for the reception of the upper ends of the tubes 286 of the two heat exchangers. The upper ends ofthese tubes 286 preferably are secured to the hood 312, as by welding. This hood 312 is similar to that shown and described for the single wall heater and has upstanding side walls 316 and a top wall 320 which has downwardly-inclined front and rear edges that terminate in spaced relationship and above the front and rear edges of the bottom wall 314 to provide laterallyelongated front and rear openings 322. Projecting centrally upwardly from the top wall 320 of the hood is a laterally-elongated vent pipe 324 which extends 264 and the casing top panel 222 for connection to an appropriate flue (not shown) concealed within a dwelling wall.

Within the hood 312 is an inverted U-shaped backdraft deflector 326 which extends transversely within the hood and is secured to the side walls of the latter as by spot 'welding. The hood 312 is secured in place by sheet-metal screws 330 extending through the depending side flanges of the hood and engaging with apertured brackets 328 welded to the liner side panels. Preferably an inverted U-shaped bafile 329, angular in cross-section, is interposed between the top panel 264 of the liner and the top wall 320 of the hood with its legs depending between the side walls-316 of the hood and the side panels 268 of the liner. This baflle 329 is off-center with respect to the vent pipe 324 and serves to equalize somewhat the discharge of hot air to the front and rear of the heater from the space between the liner top panel and the top of the hood. Further, the b aille 329 serves to center the hood within the liner.

Secured to a pivot rod 331 journalled in and extending through the side panels of the casing and the liner is a heat-deflector baffle 333 which depends centrally into the central air-heating passage 307. The undersur-face of the bottom of the hood 312 is upwardly. channelled (Figure 12) for the reception of the pivot rod 331. Secured to one end of the rod 331 exteriorly of one of the casing side panels 228 is a crank member 335 (Figure 15) for rotating the rod and thus swinging the heat-deflector baffle 333 toward the front or toward the rear of the heater. The heatdeflector baffle 333 thus serves to deflect more or less hot air, arising in the central passageway 30-7 between the two heat exchange members 276, into the front or rear hot-air outlets 240 of the heater. By this means, more or less hot air can be discharged into one or the other of the two rooms on the opposite sides of the heater.

After the casing 220 with its enclosed parts has been installed in a wall recess, the front and back thereof can be finished off by front and back structures, including decorative side, bottom, and top sheet metal moldings, central panels, and grilles, similar to those employed for-finishing 01f the aforedescribed single wall heater. These structures are not shown in Figures 12 to '14, however, in order to avoid undue confusion.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however that various changes may be made in the specific embodiment disclosed for the purpose -of illustrating the principles of this invention without departing from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A fluid fuel space heater adapted for installation in a recess in a building wall comprising: a metal casing adapted to fit the recess and having front, back, side, and top panels; a hollow heating element mounted vertically in'said casing in spacedrelation to .said front panel, said element being of substantially uniform width with the sides thereof disposed closely adjacent said casing side panels to form front and back passages for upward passage of air, the upper portion of said element terminating in a pair of laterally-spaced tubes for forward fiow of air therebetween from said back passage; a fuel burner mounted in said casing below said heating element for discharging products of combustion thereinto; means for connecting said tubes to a flue within the building wall; means defining a lower cold-air inlet and an upper hot-air outlet in said casing front panel, said outlet extending from the upper ends of said tubes downwardly past the lower ends thereof; and a forwardly-inclined bafile at the front of said heating element adjacent the lower ends of said tubes for deflecting air rising in said front passage outwardly through the hot-air outlet.

2. A fluid fuel space heater adapted for installation in a recess in a building wall for heating the space on at least one side of the wall comprising: a metal casing adapted'to fit the recess and having side, bottom, and top panels; a fuel burner mounted in the lower portion of said casing and supported on said bottom panel; a hollow heating element positioned vertically in said casing above said burner for receiving products of combustion therefrom; and brackets secured to said heating element and to said burner for supporting the former on the latter.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 including: a casing liner having side panels in spaced parallel relation to the casing side panels, the lower edges of said liner side panels being adjacent the lower end of the heating element, and lateral tabs on said heating element engaged in corresponding vertical slots in the lower edges of said liner side panels for centering said element in the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,456,472 Stein May 22, 1923 1,594,074 Shuell et a1 July 27,1926 1,652,438 Hicks Dec. 13, 1927 1,757,905 Guenther May 6, 1930 2,163,928 Andrews June 27, 1939 2,482,369 Rhodehamel Sept. 20, 1949 2,484,457 Marble Oct-11, 1949 2,487,776 Cartter NOV. 8, 1949 2,506,120 Turner May 2, 1950 2,602,441 Hollingsworth et a1. July -8, 1952 2,622,806 Simmons et al Dec. 23, 1952 2,642,270 Hollingsworth et a1. June 16, 1953 2,696,369 Morley et al Dec. 7, 1 954 2,702,539 Cayot Feb. 22, 1955

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