US3175601A

US3175601A - Hydrocarbon burning device with orifice cleaning means

Info

Publication number: US3175601A
Application number: US308611A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert S Knapp; Richard B Nebinger
Original assignee: Knapp Monarch Co
Current assignee: Knapp Monarch Co
Priority date: 1963-08-09
Filing date: 1963-08-09
Publication date: 1965-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 1982-03-30

Description

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ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent F 3,175,601 HYDROCARBON BURNING DEVICE WITH ORIFICE CLEANING MEANS Robert S. Knapp and Richard B. Nebinger, St. Louis, Mo.,

assignors to Knapp-Monarch Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 308,611 2 Claims. (Cl. 158-120) This invention relates to cleaning means for portable hydrocarbon burning appliances and, more particularly, to novel cleaning means which is simple, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 153,308, filed November 20, 1961 and now abandoned for Weighted Cleaning Wire for Hydrocarbon Burning Appliance.

One object of the invention is to provide a cleaning means that eliminates the necessity of packing glands and other mechanical features which are sometimes objectionable in connection with portable hydrocarbon burning appliances, such as stoves, lanterns or the like.

Another object is to provide cleaning means in the form of a chambered fitting in which a weighted cleaning wire is so mounted that it normally does not interfere with the flow of gas or liquid fuel through the chamber and out of a discharge orifice at the upper end thereof, whereby when the appliance is turned upside down the weight will project the cleaning wire through the orifice for cleaning any obstruction therefrom. It may here be mentioned that in all types of liquid or gas fuel burning appliances where an orifice is used to reduce the fuel supply pressure and aspirate air for combustion, a problem exists because of occasional clogging of the orifice caused by impurities in the fuel, contamination of the fuel from outside dust or dirt particles, or caking of the hydrocarbon fuel itself in the orifice of the appliance. Heretofore this problem has been solved by inserting a small wire into the orifice to remove the obstruction. Normally this wire is permanently mounted on the high pressure side of the orifice and arranged so that a wire handle extends through a packing gland, and the cleaning wire can be moved in and out of the orifice by hand operation of the wire handle. Experience has shown this method for cleaning an orifice to be very effective in both gasoline and butane burning appliances. However, it has the objection that a packing or seal is required to prevent gas leakage around the operating wire or handle. Since temperatures are rather high adjacent the burner, a potential leakage problem exists at this packing gland, and the packing is an additional expense of manufacture of the product.

Accordingly, the present invention contemplates the provision of cleaning means entirely enclosed within a fitting of the appliance which needs no external operating means, being in the form of a weighted cleaning wire normally free of the discharge orifice but coacting therewith by gravity when the appliance is turned upside down. Thereupon one or two shakes imparted to the appliance in the up and down direction will cause the weighted cleaning wire to accomplish its purpose.

A further object is to provide a simple construction comprising a chambered fitting to which an orifice fitting is secured in such manner that the weighted cleaning wire can be inserted during assembly and will thereafter operate properly to permit fuel passage when the appliance is in its normal position, and extend through the orifice to effect a cleaning operation when the appliance is inverted and shaken as described.

Still a further object is to provide the orifice fitting with an internal cone-shaped portion to guide the clean- 3,175,601 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 ing wire into the orifice thereof during the cleaning operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention herein described consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the orifice cleaning means whereby the objects above contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in detail on the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a hydrocarbon burning appliance in the nature of a camp lantern to which the present invention has been applied;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the invention and includes a generator tube as part of a subassembly suitable for lanterns and the like, the parts being shown in normal or upright position of the appliance; and

FIGURE 3 is a similar view in which the appliance and thereby the orifice cleaning mechanism are inverted and have been operated by gravity.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is shown a portable hydrocarbon burning appliance embodying the present invention. The reference numeral 10 indicates a base stand on which a perforated lantern body 12 is mounted and surmounted by a transparent globe 14 and a draft cap 16. The usual carrying handle for the lantern is illustrated at 18.

An LP. (liquid petroleum) container 20 is illustrated such as one of the type containing butane under pressure. The container 20 provides the appliance with a self-contained source of fuel. A fuel pipe 22 extends upwardly therefrom, being interrupted by a control valve 23, the control knob of which is shown at 24. The fitting 26 connects the pipe 22 with one end of a generator tube 28, the other end of which is connected to a chambered fitting 30, which is normally disposed in an upright position. The chamber therein is indicated at 32. The

parts

28 and 30 may be connected together by a nut 34. A passageway 36 extends through the fitting 30 from the generator tube 28 to the chamber 32.

An orifice fitting 38 communicates with the chamber 32 and is preferably separable from the fitting 30. For this purpose it may be connected thereto by a nut 40. The fitting 38 has a fuel discharge orifice 42. The interior of fitting 38 is cone-shaped as at 44 to serve as a guide for the weighted orifice-cleaning wire hereinafter described.

The foregoing arrangement provides a straight-through gas passageway that includes passageway 36, chamber 32, bore 44 and orifice 42. This is highly desirable since the fitting 30 is only a relatively inexpensive part that may be conveniently obtained or made by a screw machine, and no complex constructions or intersecting bores or passageways need be provided to obtain a reliably operable device.

In the chamber 32 an elongated weight 46 is provided, and extending upwardly therefrom as shown in FIGURE 2 is an elongated cleaning wire 48 of a length adapted to project through and beyond the orifice 42. The weight 46 normally assumes the position shown in FIG- URE 2 but is not seated with a gas-tight fit to the fitting 30. When in the position shown, the weight 46 and the wire 48 are totally enclosed within chamber 32. The wire 48 is spaced from orifice 42, and there is suflicient space between the weight 46 and the internal wall of the chamber 32 for free gas passage from the generator tube 28 to the orifice 42 without any movement of weight 46 responsive to the pressure of the flowing gas. If necessary, the lower end of the weight 46, or the shoulder in the fitting 30 against which weight 46 normally engages,

may be grooved or otherwise roughened to permit'sufiicient gas passage.

The fittings 30 and 38-are illustrated inside a tube 49 that terminates in a Venturi fitting 50 which in turn communicates with'a gas tube 52'discharging into a mantle 54. The lantern illustrated is operated in the usual manner, that is, the knob 24 is used to open the valve 23 and the gas issuing into the mantle may be ignited whereupon the gas will burn for illuminating purposes.

In theevent the orifice 42 becomes clogged by impurities in the fuel or caking of the fuel itself, the appliance (in the illustrated case, the lanternymay be iriverted which will likewise invert the

fittings

30 and 38 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. Gravity thereupon acts upon the weight 46 which has suificientmass to force the wire 48 through the orifice 42as illustrated, and if a single downward motion of the weighted wire 48 does not accomplish complete cleaning, the appliance may be shaken vertically one or two times and this is usually sufi'icient to clear the orifice. The portion of weight 4-6 adjacent wire 48 is shaped so as to enter the cone-shaped recess 44, as seen in FIGURE 3, thereby providing for guidance of wire 48"through orifice 42.

It will be obvious that the cleaning operation is accomplished without manipulation of a cleaning wire through a packing gland as in prior constructions, and with a very simple and inexpensive construction for the purpose.

. The cost of such a device is low as it eliminates a comcan be used on any portable liquid or gas fuel operated type of appliance such as a stove or heater wherever valve clogging can occur and cause a problem of not feeding the proper amount of fuel. It can also be used on gasoline or kerosene operated appliances, and on either low or high pressure gas operated appliances using propane, butane or other gas or fuel.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the disclosed cleaning device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably be included within their scope.

We claim, as our invention:

1. In combination with a portable hydrocarbon burning appliance having a self-contained source of hydrocarbon fuel, a cleaning device comprising a tubular chambered'fitting having only axial openings therein and arranged to have the longitudinal axis of; the tubular carbon fuel, a fuel discharge orifice above and communicating with the chamber in said fitting, a weight gravitationally movable within and totally enclosed in said chamber and of less length than the length of said chamber,- an elongated cleaning wire adapted for sliding through said orifice carried by and projecting from said weight toward said orifice and terminating spaced therefrom when said fitting is in said normal position, said appliance being constructed and arranged to be inverted, whereby when in said normal position the presence of the weight and cleaning wire in said chamber permits free flow of hydrocarbon'fuel around and past said entire Weight and wire and for unrestricted passage through said discharge orifice, and whereby when said appliance and thereby said fitting is turned upside down relative to said normal position, said weight effects projection of said cleaning Wire into said orifice to clean said orifice.

2 In combination with a portable hydrocarbon burning appliance having a self-contained source of fuel, a

cleaning device comprising a'tubular chambered fitting arranged to have the longitudinal axis of the fitting normally in an upright position, an orifice fitting associated with said chambered fittingand defining a fuel discharge orifice opening axially above and communicating with the chamber in said fitting, means for communicating said chambered fitting with said source of fuelja weight in said chamber, a cleaning wire adapted for use with said orifice opening carried by and projecting from said weight toward said orifice opening, said weight and wire being normally totally enclosed within said chamber'with the weight occupying a position in the lower portion of said chamber and said wire terminating spaced from said orifice opening when said fitting is in said upright position, said appliance being constructed and arranged to be manually turned upside down, whereby when in said normal upright position, the presence of the weight and wire in said chamber permits normal free flow of fluid fuel around and past said entire weight and wire and freely through said orifice opening for said appliance, and whereby when said appliance and thereby said fitting is turned upside down relative to said upright position, said weight effects projection of said cleaning wire into and through said orifice opening, said orifice fitting having an internal guide portion for said cleaning .wire to guide it into said orifice opening during the cleaning operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,399,655 12/21 Rector 158 2,206,949 7/40 Giles.

JAMES w. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A PORTABLE HYDROCARBON BURNING APPLIANCE HAVING A SELF-CONTAINED SOURCE OF HYDROCARBON FUEL, A CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR CHAMBERED FITTING HAVING ONLY AXIAL OPENINGS THEREIN AND ARRANGED TO HAVE THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE TUBULAR FITTING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE APPLIANCE, MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING SAID CHAMBERED FITTING WITH SAID SELF-CONTAINED SOURCE OF HYDROCARBON FUEL, A FUEL DISCHARGE ORIFICE ABOVE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE CHAMBER IN SAID FITTING, A WEIGHT GRAVITATIONALLY MOVABLE WITHIN AND TOTALLY ENCLOSED IN SAID CHAMBER AND OF LESS LENGTH THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID CHAMBER, AN ELONGATED CLEANING WIRE ADAPTED FOR SLIDING THROUGH SAID ORIFICE CARRIED BY AND PROJECTING FROM SAID WEIGHT TOWARD SAID ORIFICE AND TERMINATING SPACED THEREFROM WHEN SAID FITTING IS IN SAID NORMAL POSITION, SAID APPLIANCE BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO BE INVERTED, WHEREBY WHEN IN SAID NORMAL POSITION THE PRESENCE OF THE WEIGHT AND CLEANING WIRE IN SAID CHAMBER PERMITS FREE FLOW OF HYDROCARBON FUEL AROUND AND PAST SAID ENTIRE WEIGHT AND WIRE AND FOR UNRESTRICTED PASSAGE THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE ORIFICE, AND WHEREBY WHEN SAID APPLICANCE AND THEREBY SAID FITTING IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN RELATIVE TO SAID NORMAL POSITION, SAID WEIGHT EFFECTS PROJECTION OF SAID CLEANING WIRE INTO SAID ORIFICE TO CLEAN SAID ORIFICE.