US3047056A - Ribbon assembly for gas burners - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1962 J. H. FLYNN RIBBON ASSEMBLY FOR GAS BURNERS Filed NOV. l2, 1959 IN VENTOR. t70/7/2 H FZ 72 Him/@y United States Patent O 3,947,056 RBBN ASSEBQLY FR GAS BURNEES John H. Flynn, 234 Eik Ave., New Rochelle, NX. Filed Nov. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 356,326 3 Claims. (Cl. 158 116) This invention relates to ribbon-type gas burners in general, and to ribbon assemblies for gas burners in particular.

The flame ports provided by ribbon assemblies in the burner slots or grooves in the casings of burners of this type are usually spaced very closely from each other and are of quite small individual cross-sectional areas for producing ecient llames, and more particularly uniform flame sheets for most intended llame applications. To this end, the individual ribbons are rather slender in any event, and they have regularly recurring lateral port formations which dimensionwise are quite shallow and short so that only accurate alignment and full complement with each other of port formations of adjacent ribbons in the same assembly will result in gas ports of suthciently identical cross-sectional areas andshapes to produce uniform individual flames and, hence, an always desired even llame sheet thereat. However, adjacent ribbons in these assemblies invariably gap apart here and there sufficiently to keep opposite port formations thereat out of full complement with each other despite intermesh of port formations of adjacent ribbons wherever the port pattern permits this and despite the usual joinder of the ribbons at spaced places by crosspins or spot welds thereat. The reason therefor lies in the inevitable tolerances in the shapes and dimensions of the recurring lateral port formations of the individual ribbons which prevents normal gapless joinder throughout of adjacent ribbons in the iirst place, and non-yieldability of these ribbons into uniform gapless joinder with each other throughout under the compression against each other within the limits imposed by the requirement that the ribbon assembly may be slid or driven with relative ease and without port distortion into burner slots or grooves. Hence, gas ports of varying cross-sectional areas and even varying shapes are the order, rather than the exception, in mounted ribbon assemblies, with ensuing uneven individual flames lthereat that may, and often will, adversely affect the desired evenness of the flame sheet throughout.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide a ribbon assembly of most any desired port pattern of which adjacent ribbons, despite their inevitable tolerances in size land shape of their port formations, are joined to each other uniformly throughout and without any gaps between them and with their opposite port formations in `accurate alignment and full complement with each other, and with the assembly being, furthermore, insertable into a burner slot or groove directly from the top thereof with relative ease and without any portV distortion.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a ribbon assembly of this type which, besides being A insertable into a burner slot or groove with relative ease as aforementioned, is removable therefrom with comparative ease for replacement of the ribbon assembly or for occasional thorough cleaning `of the same.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a ribbon assembly of this type in which the assembled ribbons yare held'between side plates which form part of the ribbon assembly, and the latter is mounted in a burner casing by forcibly, yet facilely, driving the same with its side plates into atting machined slot or groove therein and locking the side plates to the casing, with the individual ribbons and side plates having lock formations wherewith they are releasably interloclred ice with each other and the entire ribbon assembly thus securely locked to the burner casing when mounted therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon assembly of this type in which the lock formations on the aforementioned side plates thereof are 1ongitudinal grooves therein which receive the lock `formations on the adjacent outermost ribbons therebetween in releasable interlock therewith and also with freedom to give way longitudinally of the respective grooves to differential expansion and contraction of the assembled ribbons.

-A further object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon assembly of this type in which the aforementioned lock formations on the ribbons are simple identical blister-like parts thereof formed by side impressions therein to provide tapering locking detents on one side as well as like tapering locking depressions on the other side, with locking detents on the ribbons being iirmly wedged and seated in locking depressions in adjacent ribbons and locking detents on the outermost ribbons received in the longitudinal grooves in the side plates for secure interlock of the assembled ribbons with each other and with the side plates with freedom of the detents in the plate grooves to expand and contract with the assembled ribbons.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide `a ribbon assembly of this type in which the side plates thereof `are of sucient heiUht not only to Vform the eifective burner slot or groove for the assembled ribbons, but also for temporary application thereto of a clamp or clamps in order securely to hold the entire assembly together `and permit at the same time forced insertion of the latter into its reception slot or groove in the burner casing with relative ease and to a sufficient depth therein at which the clamps will be removed `and the reception slot or groove assume the same secure hold on the assembly for its complete insertion therein with continued relative ease. also entirely feasible to apply to the assembled ribbons safe clamping pressures which are not only far in excess of those to which assembled ribbons may be subjected when directly driven into and received in burner slots `or grooves in burner casings without distortion of their ports, but which may be of suilicient magnitude greatly to reduce, i-f not prevent, local gapping between adjacent ribbons.

Other objects and vadvantages will appear to those vskilled in the art from the following, considered in con- PIG. 1 is a fragmentary View of a burner with a ribbon assembly embodying the present invention;

' FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section through the burner taken substantially on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the burner taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and

FlGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sections through the burner taken on the lines 4 4 and 5 5, respectively, of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FlGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the reference numeral 10 designates a burner having a longitudinal casing 12 with the usual gas chamber 14 and a gas admission port or ports thereto (not shown). The instant burner is of the type in which a large multiplicity of individual llames combine to form a longitudinal ame sheet for utility purposes. To this end, the burner is provided with burner ribbons 16 which are assembled side-by-side in an array or unit 1S to form gas ports 20 according to a desired predetermined pattern. The ribbon unit 18 is located in the present instance in a longitudinal burner slot 22 in the casing 12 With this arrangement, it is which at its bottom 24 is in open communication with the chamber ll'throughout and at its top 26 is open to the outside of the casing 12.

The individual ribbons 16 of therunit 18 are presently identical dimensionwise and shapewise, each being sinuous in yshape and having regularly recurring alternating curved formations 28 and 30' on opposite sides thereof (FIGS. land 3). These ribbons 16 are, furthermore, so'coordinated in theunit 18Vthat their curved formationsl;A and 30 define in the present instance main ports 32V and pilot portsV 34, the outermost ribbons `16 and 15 of the unit 18 furthermore defining in the burner slot 22 auxiliary main ports 32'; As best shown in FIG. 3, the main ports 32 are presently formed by complementalaligned curved formations of adjacent ribbons 16, While the pilot ports 34 are preisentlyformed by complemental curved formations of'arnurnber of intermeshed ribbons 16. The main ports 32and 32', being of larger individual cross-sectional areas than'the pilot ports 34, receive from the chamber 14 combustible gas at greater volumetric iow rate than the pilot ports to produce individual main flames which combine into a longitudinal ame sheet of considerable height and drive, while the gas passing through the smaller pilot ports S-'iproduces smaller pilot llames which support the main ames, all as well known.; Y

In accordance With an important aspect of the present invention, the burner slot Z2 is formed, not in the burner Vcasing 12, but rather by opposite side plates '33 which are received in amachined groove 40 in the burner casing and between which the ribbon Aunit 18V is interposed. YThe bottom 42 of the groove itis at 44 interrupted throughout its longitudinal extent to provide thereat open commuj nication between the chamber 14 and groove 4G, leavingY thegroove bottom 42 with opposite spaced shoulders 46 on Which the side plates 38 are seated in this instance.

The ribbon unit 1-8 and side plates 38 Vtogether form aribbon assembly which may be assembled outside the burner casing 12 and then inserted into the casing Vgroove 4t?. In accordance with another important aspect of the present invention, theparts of the ribbon assemblyV 50, namely the individual ribbons V16 and the side plates 38, are interlocked with each other in a manner permitting insertion of the assembly 50 withV its interlocked parts into the casing groove 49 on the one hand, and preventing removal of any ribbon 16 from the` assembly 50 when f the same is installed in the casing groove 44B on the other hand. To this end, all ribbons 16 and also both side plates 38 have properly coordinated interlock formations.

Thus, almost all of the interlock formations on the individual ribbons 16 are in this instance identical impressed blister-like parts 52 thereof Within the widthWise continesV w of the ribbons, with each lock part S2 Vin each ribbon providing a tapering detent S4k and a like tapering depression 56 on opposite sides ofthe ribbonl stock. With the individual ribbons 16`of ,the unit 18 being in this instance shaped and*dimensionedidentically as, aforementioned, and withthe look partsSZ preferably impressed simultaneously with the formation of the individual ribbons 16 and also in identical arrangement thereon, the detents 54 and depressions V56v of the lock parts 52 on all ribbons presently project from the-outside and are provided on the inside, respectively, ofthe alternating curved'ribbon formations 28, with regularly recurring lock parts onrall ribbons presently occurring on each fourth successive curved formation 28 of each ribbon. Accordingly, the intermeshed ribbonsV 16 which deiinevthe pilot ports 34 are arranged in the same relation to each other with-theregularly recurring detents 54 on successive ones of these ribbons being iuterlocked with the regularly recurring depressions 56 in the next ribbons and with the interlocks between Vthese ribbons'gregularly recurring at eachfourth successive intermeshed curved formations 28 thereof` (FIGS. 3 and 4). 'The end or outermost ribbon 16 on one side of the` burner slot'22 is simply inverted with respect to the adjacent ribbon 16a in order to form therewith the main ports 32 thereat, the ribbon 16 being interlocked with its regular lock parts S2 with the Vadjacent-side plate 38 (FlG. 3). However, the ribbons 16 and 16a are for their mutual interlock slightly modified from the other ribbons, the ribbon 16a having to this end additional regularly recurring lock parts 52 which interlock with equally regularly recurring apertures '60 in the ribbon 16' (FIGS. 3 and 5).

The other end or outermost ribbon 16, which is complemental with the adjacent ribbon 16h in forming the other main ports 32, may be exactly like the modied yribbon-16 and is simply inverted with respect to the latter` y(F9113) for its interlock with :the adjacent normal ribbon 16h and for-its furtherinterlook With its regular lock parts 52 with the adjacent side plate 3S (see aIsoFIG. 5

The interlock formations on the side plates 33 are presently longitudinal slots 62 therein into which project the regular lock parts 52 on theV adjacent outermost ribbons 16 and 16 with freedom to expand and contract with the ribbon unit 18 relative to the side plates.

To get the ribbon assembly 5 0 together outside-of the y casing groove 40, the ribbons 16 are arranged and muy tually interlocked to form the unit-15 with the exemplary port arrangement shown best in FIG. 3, thelock parts of the individual ribbons being in sidewise-releasable interlock with the lock parts of the adjacentribbons so that the ribbons may be held in their assembled andinter-l locked-relation from opposite 4sides of the unit. The ribbons thus assembled andfinterlocked'may beheld together by a few longitudinally spaced spotwelds or in any otherv suitable manner, whereupon the side plates 38 are' applied v tothe opposite sides-of the ribbon-unit 18 With the lock parts 52 on the outermost ribbons'in interlock with the which Ithe ribbon unit is subjected on its drive-directly into yand installation in .a burner'slot or groove in a burner casing. As already mentioned, the reason therefor lies in the inadequacy of the compression of such ribbon unit to close these gaps, the compression of the ribbon unit being controlled `and limited by the requirement that no port distortion must occur on its drive directly into a burner slot or groove. However, theV present ribbon assembly 50 permits much higher compression of its ribbon unit `18 which may be, and in Vmost cases is, fully adequate to prevent any'local gapping between `adjacent ribbons thereof, yet lgives no rise to port distortion. This is due to the provision of the side platesv 38 in the first place, and the positive interlock of theV ribbons `16 with each other 4and `also with the sideplatesA 38in the second place. Thus, the side plates 38 may, outside the casing groove 40, exert on the interposed ribbon unit 18 pressure of a magnitude which is fully adequate to force Athe ribbons into full and gapless sideby-side engagement with each other throughout despite.

their aforementioned tolerances in shape and dimensions,

yet avoid any port distortion, because in applyingthis pressure there is no consideration of limiting it for direct.

drive of the ribbon unit into a burnerV slot lor grooveat which port distortion primarily occurs at even much lower ribbon compression. The side plates 38 may to this end be pressed and held pressed against the interposed ribbon Y unit with the required force outside, of the casing groove 46 by a clamp or` clamps, as aforementioned, which areY suitably applied near the top of therribbonassembly 50 to permit its `forced `drive into the casing groove 40, presently through the top thereof, to a sucient depth therein at which the casing groove will assume the secure hold of the ribbon assembly substantially at its initially given compression after the clamps must be removed for the remainder of the drive of the ribbon Iassembly into the casing groove. For the transfer of the compression of the ribbon assembly 50 from the temporary clamps thereon to the casing groove 49 in this fashion, the opposite plane sidewalls 66 of this groove are preferably parallel to each other and the side plates 38 are flat and of uniform thickness throughout.

The ribbon unit 18 is preferably spaced somewhat inwardly from the tops of the side plates 38, as shown, so that on the forced drive of the ribbon assembly 50 into the casing groove 40 the entire driving force is applied against the side plates widthwise thereof. In consequence, the ribbons 16 are on the drive of the ribbon assembly 50 into the casing groove 40 subjected to no driving force whatsoever, but merely remain compressed 'by and between the side plates 38, wherefore the ribbons are entirely unaffected by their installation in the burner casing. To facilitate the safe and secure drive of the ribbon assembly Si) into the casing groove 40, the side plates 3S are preferably of greater width than the vribbon unit 18 so that the side plates extend considerably below the ribbon unit therebetween (FIG. 2). Temporary clamps may thus be applied to the side plates 38 `at places safely within the widthwise contines of the interposed ribbon unit 18 without interfering with the drive of the ribbon assembly 5@ into the casing groove 40 to a ydepth at which the latter will securely hold the assembly under compression when the temporary clamps have to be removed for the remainder of the drive of the ribbon assembly into the casing groove. On installation of the ribbon assembly 50 in the casing groove 40 the former may, and preferably is, locked in the latter despite its presst therein. To this end, the heads 63 of screws 74? in the burner casing I12 overlap the side plates 38 and thus releasably lock the ribbon -assembly 50 in the casing groove 40.

Positive interlock with each other of the individual ribbons 16 of the unit 18 is advantageous in that the port pattern defined by the ribbons is preserved in any event, and even more securely than by spotwelding the ribbons at even closer intervals than is usually done if spotwelding is resorted to for this purpose. Also, positive interlock of the ribbons with each other is far preferable to pinning the ribbons together, for pins will obstruct the ports which they cross and `adversely affect the ame sheet pattern thereat, whereas the present interlocks between the ribbons in no wise obstruct the ports thereat. Furthermore, the lock formations of the present ribbons, being readily impressed at regularly recurring intervals in the ribbon stock while the same is continuously formed into ribbon shape, may at the same low cost be spaced as closely or widely apart as is best suited for accurately holding any particular port pattern of any particular ribbon unit. In this connection, the lock formations on the present ribbons may be spaced differently, and even ment with each other regardless of whether the ports are formed by intermeshed port formations or inverted port formations of adjacent ribbons.

The interlock of the ribbon unit i8 with the side plates 38 is, of course, imperative for secure retention of the ribbon unit in the burner casing through intermediation of Vthese side plates. In this connection, the interlock of `the ribbon unit with the side plates in the present fashion is not only preferable to pinning them together at a few widely spaced places because it avoids objectionable port obstruction by pins, but the interlocks between the ribbon unit and side plates may be spaced as closely or widely as the interlocks between the ribbons themselves for optimum use of identical ribbons with identical lock formations in any unit, yet the ribbon unit has freedom to expand and contract independently of the side plates `despite its interlock therewith.

The present ribbon assembly may also be removed from the casing groove 44) as readily as it is installed therein. Thus, while ribbon units driven directly into burner slots or grooves in burner Casin-gs can hardly be removed therefrom without extensive `damage that prevents their further use, the present ribbon assembly may be removed from the casing groove by prying only the side plates 32 and without touching the interposed ribbon unit 1S in any way so that the same will remain intact. Various suitable expediencies may be resorted to in order to force the ribbon assembly 5t) from the casing groove 40, including wedging the same `from the casing groove from the top thereof through intermediation of suitable cnossbars temporarily screwed to the side plates on top thereof and applying temporary clamps to the assembly `on partial removal from the casing groove `for its complete removal therefrom. Once removed from the casing groove, the ribbon assembly 50 may be taken apart for thorough cleaning of all its parts or for replacement or repair of any part or parts thereof, with the assembly then being put together again and installed in the casing groove as good as new.

With the present arrangement of the ribbon assembly 50, the ribbon unit 18 is mounted in the burner slot 22 which is provided, not by the burner casing, but by the side plates 33 of the ribbon assembly, wherefore the burner slot for the ribbon unit -is also removable with the assembly from the casing for ready cleaning or even replacement with new side plates if need be.

The present invention is in no wise limited to any particular shape or shapes of the burner ribbons of an assembled unit or to the port pattern created thereby. Also, while the exemplary ribbon assembly 50l is adapted for a flame sheet of which the main flames at the main ports are supported by pilot ames at pilot ports in one andthe same ribbon unit, the ribbon assembly for the flame sheet may contain only main ports supplied with gas from a burner slot in open communication throughout with the gas chamber in the casing, with the main ames of the flame sheet supported by pilot flames at exclusively pilot ports in similar ribbon assemblies in casing grooves which flank the casing groove containing the main-flame ribbon assembly.

lThe invention may be carried out in other specific Ways than those herein set forth Without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming Within the meaning and equivalency range of the `appended claims fare intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

l. ln a burner, the combination with a longitudinal casing having a gas chamber and a machined longitudinal passage with substantially parallel, plane opposite s idewalls and being open inwardly and outwardly to said chamber and to the outside of the casing, respectively, of a ribbon `assembly in -said passage comprising two flat rigid plates backed against said sidewalls and extending widthwise substantially to the outward opening of said passage and having spaced confronting plane and parallel faces defining a burner slot in said casing, and an assembly of side-by-side engaged burner ribbons having complemental port formations and being interposed `between and clamped -sidewise together by said plates and extending widthwise the widthwise contines of said burner slot, all ofvsaid ribbons having intermediate their Widths longitudinally, spaced-identical male and female forma'- tionsfoffwhioh male and female formations of adjacent ribbonsare sid'e'wiseV releasably interlocked, said plates having yirl-their confronting faces intermediate ltheir Widths longitudinal-grooves, respectively, -sidewise lreleasably re- 'ceiving substantially fittingly male formaons of adjacent ribbons, respectively, to lock lall ribbons to said plates and Y permit differential expansion `of theformerland latter,

and said locked plates and ribbons `being as a runitVV forceable at a tight it into said passage through the outward opening thereof on yapplying an inward driving force to saidr plates only; and means for releasably locking saidribbon assembly in said passage.

2. The combination in a burner asset forth in claim'l, in which said ribbons eXtend-Widthwise substantially to theoutward opening-of said passage, and said plates are of considerably greater Width than said ribbons so-as to permit partial drive of said ribbon assembly into said passage through the outward'ope'ning thereof Whilereleasable clamps are applied to the outside of theV plates over the `ull Width of the Vribbons therebetween.

3. A ribbon assembly Ifor a machined longitudinal Vpassage in a lburner casing-between a gas chamber therein and the outside thereof, comprising a subeassernbly of sideby-side engaged longitudinal burner-ribbons forming Vcomplemental pontv formations Widthwise thereof land having intermedi-ate their ywidth-sV longitudinally Vspaced identical male, andl female formations ofwhich male'and female formations of adjacent ribbons are 'sidevviseire leasably .interlocked, `and'two flat rigidplates fon opposite sides ofvsaidl-ribbon sub-'assembly having spaced confront-V ing planefaces defining aburner 'slot-and beingl adaptedV for clamping engagement with the ribbons of saidsubit into a burner ypassage-throughV the youtward opening thereof -onapplying an inward driving force to 'said plates only. Y n

References Cite-d in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS l 791,923 Machlet- June', 1905 1,742,607 Machlet et al. v VJan. 71930` 2,210,069 Ensign Aug. 6, 194,()l 2,428,271 fEnsign et yal.- Sept. 30,'.1947 2,575,101 Ensign et'al v Nov. 1.3,- 1951 2,652,107 Hughes Sept. 15, 1953VVV

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