US3211888A

US3211888A - Electric engine cooling jacket heater

Info

Publication number: US3211888A
Application number: US184645A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lynne E Windsor
Original assignee: James B Carter Ltd
Current assignee: James B Carter Ltd
Priority date: 1962-03-30
Filing date: 1962-03-30
Publication date: 1965-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-12

Description

Oct. 12, 1965 1 E. wlNDsoR 3,211,888

ELECTRIC ENGINE COOLING JACKET HEATER Filed March 30, 1962 United States Patent Office 3,211,888 ELECTRIC ENGINE COOLING JACKET HEATER Lynne E. Windsor, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, assigner to James B. Carter Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Filed Mar. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 184,645 22 Claims. '(Cl. 219-208) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in immersion heaters for automobile engines, particularly immersion heaters adapted to be inserted within the conventional frost plug aperture formed within the cylinder blocks of the majority of engines.

The frost plug aperture of most automobile engines is the most convenient position for immersion type frost plug heaters. Many attempts have been made to provide eicient locking means for such heaters which not only mechanically lock the heater into position against Water pressure and vibration, but also efficiently seals the heater so that leakage does not occur.

Some such heaters utilize extending lingers upon the inner surface of the cylinder block `surrounding the boundary of the frost plug heater but these suffer from two principal disadvantages. Firstly, of course, the actuating means has to extend through the body portion of the heater which has a tendency to leak and secondly, the mechanical locking lingers readily corrode thus making removal of the heater, for replacement purpose, extremely dilcult.

The heater hereinafter to be described, overcomes all of these disadvantages by providing a cylindrical body portion not having any mechanical connection therethrough, and a cover plate which locks with the turning of a nut and which at the same time expands an O-ring in the frost plug aperture and a mechanical ring which bites into the surface of the aperture thus giving efhcient uid sealing and also efficient mechanical sealing. Furthermore, merely by undoing the nut holding the cover plate to the body portion, the entire frost plug can be removed readily and without any difficulty.

The principal object and essence of my invention is therefore to provide an immersion heater adapted to be situated within a frost plug aperture which can be sealed against leakage and locked mechanically merely by turning one nut.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which permits the heater to be removed easily.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which eliminates mechanical linkage sometimes used to hold the heater within the frost plug.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device `of the character herewithin described which is extremely simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:-

FIGURE l is a sectioned elevation of the cover plate per se.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation of the body portion showing `same positioned Within a frost plug aperture.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing the action of the O-ring and the split ring in holding the device within a frost plug aperture.

3,211,888 Patented Oct. 1.2, 19.65

FIGURE 4 is a front plan view, on reduced scale, of my heater per se.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe my invention in detail, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which reference character 10 illustrates a conventional cylinder wall bounding a cylindrical frost plug opening 11, reference character 12 indicating the inner surface of the cylinder Wall and 13 the outer surface thereof.

My heater collectively designated 14 comprises a cylindrical body portion 15 having a conventional immersion element 16 extending from the inner surface 15. Electrical connecting pins 17 extend from the other or outer surface 18 of the body portion and extend through the body portion to be connected with the immersion element 16, it being understood that these pins are cemented in place and insulatedfrom the body portion in the conventional manner.

A recessed or reduced diameter shoulder 19 is formed around the body portion extending from the outer surface 18 to a location spaced from the inner surface 15 so that the diameter of the inner surface is greater than the diameter of the outer surface as clearly shown in FIGURE 2, and it will be appreciated that the diameter of the portion 20 is just slightly less than the diameter of the frost plug aperture 11 so that the device can be inserted as shown. The junction between said reduced diameter shoulder and said portionl 20 forms a retaining flange.

A screw threaded stud 21 is screw threadably secured centrally -of the outer surface 18 and extends therefrom, said stud passing through a centrally located aperture 22 formed within the cover plate 23 which engages over the stud.

This cover plate is provided with a circular or cylindrical recess 24 upon the inner surface thereof and the diameter of this recess is slightly larger than the diameter of the outer surface 18 of the body portion so that this recess will slide over the shoulder 19 when the cover plate is entered upon the stud 21. Also to be noted is the fact that the outer diameter of the cover plate is substantially similar to the -outer diameter of the portion 20 of the body portion.

A rectangular aperture 25 is formed through the cover portion and the aforementioned pins 17 pass through this aperture When the cover portion is entered upon the stud 21, so that a conventional plug can be engaged upon the pins 17, connected to a source of electrical energy.

In order to insure that the cover plate is located in a correct radial position upon the bod portion, a small locating pin 26 extends from the outer surface 18 of the body portion and is engageable within a corresponding drilling 27 within the cover 23.

When the cover is entered upon the stud 21, a portion ofthe stud extends beyond the cover and a conventional nut 28 engages the stud and may be utilized to tighten the cover to the body portion.

Surrounding the shoulder 19 of the body portion is a resilient O-ring 29 as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5 and also surrounding the shouldered portion 19 and against the O-ring 29, is a split ring 30. This split ring is manufactured preferably of a relative hard steel and the cross sectional conguration of this ring is shown in detail in FIGURE 3.

An edge sharpened rim 31 is formed around the periphery of the split ring 30 adjacent the inner side thereof,

3 said rim having the configuration as clearly shown in FIG. 3.

The side 32 of the ring adjacent the rim 31 is concavedly recessed as at 33 and engages over a portion of the O-ring when in position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3.

In operation, the cover is engaged upon the body portion and the nut 28 loosely engaged upon the stud 21. The heater element is inserted through the frost plug aperture so that it takes up the position shown in FIG- URE 2 whereupon the nut 28 is tightened upon the stud 21. This causes the portion 34 of the cover plate to bear against the outer side 35 of the split ring and further pressure compresses the O-ring which expands radially thus sealing the device against fluid leakage. Further pressure causes a hydraulic action between the O-ring and the concave surface 33 of the split ring thus forcing the split ring outward in a radial action, substantially in the direction of arrow 36 thus causing the edge sharpened rim 31 to bite into the wall 37 of the frost plug aperture 11. This gives a mechanical bond as well as a fluid seal. If it is necessary to remove the frost plug heater, it is merely necessary to slacken olf the nut 28 whereupon the heater can be removed readily'from the frost plug aperture.

It will be appreciated that means are required in order to insure that the heater is not inserted too far within the frost plug aperture and in this connection I provide a plurality of extending ears or lugs 38 formed around the periphery of the cover 24 and these ears engage the outer surface 13 of the cylinder block surrounding the frost plug aperture 11 thus positioning the heater correctly prior to the tightening action. The preceding description discloses the basic principle upon which my device operates. However from a production standpoint, I prefer to utilize the arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 6 which, although operating upon a similar principle, nevertheless facilitates manufacture and production.

Firstly I iind that instead of the O-ring 29, a D-ring 39 is more suitable. However this embodiment will work equally well with an O-ring if productions and costs dictate the use thereof rather than the resilient D-ring shown in FIGURE 6.

Secondly rather than utilize the hydraulic action of the O-ring within the concaved surface of the split ring 30, I form the split ring 40 with an inclined or chamfered outer surface 41, said chamfer extending all around the circumference ofthe ring and at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

Similarly the inner edge 34 of the peripheral boundary of the cover 23 is also chamfered or inclined substantially parallel with the chamfer 41 of the split ring.

The split ring 40 also includes the edge sharpened periphery 31 as disclosed previously.

In operation, the tightening of the nut upon the bolt 21 forces the parts into engagement, compresses the D-ring thus sealing the heater within the frost plug aperture and causes the split ring to expand radially due to the pressure of the inclined surfaces or chamfers 41 and 34 thus engaging the edge sharpened rim 31 within the boundary wall of the frost plug aperture as hereinbefore described.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently Widely diiferent embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the laccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A coolant immersion heater for automobile engines and the like adapted to be inserted into the frost plug aperture in the engine block; comprising in combination va cylindrical body portion, a heater element extending from one side thereof, electrical contact pins on the other side thereof connected, through said body portion, to said heater element, a reduced diameter shoulder formed around the periphery of said body portion extending from said other side to a location spaced from said one side, whereby the diameter of said one side-is greater than the diameter of said other side, a retaining iiange formed by the junction between said shoulder and said location, an apertured cover plate having a peripheral boundary wall on one side thereof defining a cylindrical recess on said one side and adapted to engage over said recessed shoulder of said body portion, screw threaded means cooperating between said cover plate and said other side of said body portion adapted to clamp the same together when said screw threaded means is tightened, expandable resilient means around said recessed shoulder and engaging said frost plug aperture wall, to seal said body portion against fluid leakage, within the associated frost plug aperture, and further expandable means surrounding said recessed shoulder to detachably lock said body portion within said frost plug aperture, the said tightening of said screw threaded means clamping said expandable resilient means and said further expandable means between said perimetrical boundary wall of said cover and said retaining flange to effect said sealing against uid leakage and to effect said detachable locking of said body portion within said frost plug aperture, said further expandable means comprising split ring means having a portion thereon mechanically engageable with the interior wall of the frost plug aperture, said split ring means being provided with means cooperating with at least one of the resilient means and the perimetrical boundary wall of the cover, to cause radial expansion of the split ring means into contact with the interior wall of the frost plug aperture upon tightening of the said screw threaded means.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which said resilient means surrounding said shoulder comprises a resilient O-ring.

3. The device according to claim 1 in which said portion on said split ring means comprises an edge sharpened, frost-plug-aperture-wall engaging rim formed on the outer periphery of said split ring, one side of said split ring being recessed, at least a portion of said resilient means fitting into said recessed one side, said split ring being adapted to be expanded by radial expansion of said resilient means when said screw threaded means is tightened.

4. The device according to claim 2 in which said portion on said split ring means comprises an edge sharpened, frost-plug-aperture-wall engaging rim formed on the. outer periphery of said split ring, one side of said split ring `being recessed, at least a portion of said resilient means fitting into said recessed one side, said split ring being adapted to be expanded by radial expansion of said resiliient means when said screw threaded means is tightene 5. The device according to claim 3 in which said recessed one side of said ring is recessed concavedly.

6. The device according to claim 4 in which said recessed one side of said ring is recessed concavedly.

7. The device according to claim 1 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which sald heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

8. The device according to claim 2 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further ex;

pandable means engage the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

9. The device according to claim 3 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered Within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the Wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

10. The device according to claim 4 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

11. The device according to claim 5 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

12. The device according to claim 6 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted Within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the wall of said frost plug aperutre when said screw threaded means is tightened.

13. A coolant immersion heater for automobile engines and the like adapted to be inserted within the frost plug aperture in the engine block; comprising in combination a -cylindrical body portion, a heater element extending from one side thereof, electrical contact pins on the other side thereof connected, through said body portion, to said heater element, a reduced diameter shoulder formed around the periphery of said body portion extending from said other side to a location spaced from said one side, whereby the diameter of said one side is greater than the diameter of said other side, a recessed cover plate engaging over said shoulder, said cover plate including a perimetrical boundary wall defining the recess thereof, said Wall engaging over said recessed shoulder, clamp means to clamp said cover plate to said body portion, expandable resilient means surrounding said shoulder of said body portion and engaging said frost plug aperture Wall, and detachable mechanical expandable locking means also surrounding said shoulder of said body portion, the clamping of said cover plate to said body portion clamping said expandable resilient means and said locking means between said perimetrical boundary wall of said cover and said retaining ange to seal said heater Within said frost plug aperture against fluid leakage and to lock said heater within said frost plug aperture with said locking means, said locking means comprising split ring means having a portion thereon mechanically engageable with the interior wall of the frost plug aperture, said split ring means being provided with means cooperating with at least one of the resilient means and the perimetrical boundary Wall of the cover to cause radial expansion of the said split ring means into contact with the interior wall of the frost plug aperture upon :clamping of said cover plate to said body portion.-

14. The device according to claim 13 in Which said resilient means surrcunding said shoulder comprises a resilient O-ring,

15. The device according to claim 13 in which said portion on said split ring means comprises an edge sharpened, frost-plug-aperture-wall engaging rim formed on the outer periphery of Isaid ring, one side of said ring being recessed, at least a portion of said resilient means tting into recessed one side, said ring adapted to be expanded by radial expansion of said resilient means when said cover plate is clamped to said body portion.

16. The device according to claim 14 in which said portion on said split ring means comprises an edge sharpened, frost-plug-aperture-wall engaging rim formed on the outer periphery of said ring, one side of said ring being recessed, at least a portion of said resilient means fitting into recessed one side, said ring adapted to be expanded by radial expansion of said resilient means when said cover plate is clamped to said body portion.

17. The device according to claim 1 in which said split ring means comprises a split ring surrounding said shoulder, an edge sharpened, frost-plug-aperture-wall engaging rim formed on the outer periphery of said split ring, one side of said ring being chamfered, the inner surface of said peripheral boundary wall of said cover plate being chamfered correspondingly and engaging said chamfered one side of said ring, said chamfer of said peripheral boundary wall forcing said split ring radially outwardly into engagement with the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

18. The device according to claim 17 in which said resilient means surrounding said shoulder comprises a resilient D-ring.

19. The device according to claim 17 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer `surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

20. The device according to claim 13 in which said split ring means comprises a split ring surrounding said shoulder, an edge sharpened, frost-plug-aperture-wall engaging rim formed on the outer periphery of said ring, one side of said ring being chamfered, the inner surface of said perimetrical boundary wall of said cover plate also being chamfered correspondingly and engaging said chamfered one side of said ring, said chamfer of said perimetrical boundary wall forcing said split ring radially outwardly into engagement with the wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

21. The device according to claim 20 in which said resilient means surrounding said shoulder comprises a resilient D-ring.

22. The device according to claim 18 which includes means extending from the periphery of said cover plate engageable with the outer surface of the associated engine block when said heater is entered within said frost plug aperture, adapted to limit the amount by which said heater is inserted within said frost plug aperture thereby ensuring that said resilient means and said further expandable means engage the Wall of said frost plug aperture when said screw threaded means is tightened.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/57 McKay 219-208 X 2/58 Derumaux 219-208 X

Claims

1. A COOLANT IMMERSION HEATER FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES AND THE LIKE ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO THE FROST PLUG APERTURE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK; COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CYLINDRICAL BODY PORTION, A HEATER ELEMENT EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF, ELECTRICAL CONTACT PINS ON THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF CONNECTED, THROUGH SAID BODY PORTION, TO SAID HEATER ELEMENT, A REDUCED DIAMETER SHOULDER FORMED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID BODY PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID OTHER SIDE TO A LOCATION SPACED FROM SAID ONE SIDE, WHEREBY THE DIAMETER OF SAID ONE SIDE IS GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID OTHER SIDE, A RETAINING FLANGE FORMED BY THE JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID SHOULDER AND SAID LOCATION, BY APERTURED COVER PLATE HAVING A PERIPHERAL BOUNDARY WALL ON ONE SIDE THEREOF DEFINING A CYLINDRICAL RECESS ON SAID ONE SIDE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE OVER SAID RECESSED SHOULDER OF SAID BODY PORTION, SCREW THREADED MEANS COOPERATING BETWEEN SAID COVER PLATE AND SAID OTHER SIDE OF SAID BODY PORTION ADAPTED TO CLAMP THE SAME TOGETHER WHEN SAID SCREW THREADED MEANS IS TIGHTENED, EXPANDABLE RESILIENT MEANS AROUND SAID RECESSED SHOULDER AND ENGAGING SAID FROST PLUG APERTURE WALL, TO SEAL SAID BODY PORTION AGAINST FLUID LEAKAGE, WITHIN THE ASSOCIATED FROST PLUG APERTURE, AND FURTHER EXPANDABLE MEANS SURROUNDING SAID RECESSED SHOULDER TO DETACHABLE LOCK SAID BODY PORTION WITHIN SAID FROST PLUG APERTURE, THE SAID TIGHTENING OF SAID SCREW THREADED MEANS CLAMPING SAID EXPANDABLE RESILIENT MEANS AND SAID FURTHER EXPANDABLE MEANS BETWEEN SAID PERIMETRICAL BOUNDARY WALL OF SAID COVER AND SAID RETAINING FLANGE TO EFFECT SAID SEALING AGAINST FLUID LEAKAGE AND TO EFFECT SAID DETCHABLE LOCKING OF SAID BODY PORTION WITHIN SAID FROST PLUG APERTURE, SAID FURTHER EXPANDABLE MEANS COMPRISING SPLIT RING MEANS HAVING A PORTION THEREON MECHANICALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE FROST PLUG APERTURE, SAID SPLIT RING MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS COOPERATING WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THE RESILIENT MEANS AND THE PERIMETRAL BOUNDARY WALL OF THE COVER, TO CAUSE RADIAL EXPANSION OF THE SPLIT RING MEANS INTO CONTACT WITH THE INTERIOR WALL OF THE FROST PLUG APERTURE UPON TIGHTENING OF THE SAID SCREW THREADED MEANS.