US3250266A - Atomizer type humidifiers for use in heating plants such as furnaces and the like - Google Patents

Description

y 0, 1966 D. N. AURINGER 3,250,255

ATOMIZER TYPE HUMIDIFIERS FOR USE IN HEATING PLANTS SUCH AS FURNACES AND THE LIKE Filed May '2. 1965 N INVENTOR.

.DA/V/El- 1M AUX/N651? M5 ATTQZA/EX United States Patent 3,250,266 ATOMIZER TYPE HUMIDIFIERS FOR USE IN HEATING PLANTS SUCH AS FURNACES AND THE LIKE Daniel N. Auringer, Box 61, Fox Lake, Ill. Filed May 7, 1965, Ser. No. 454,109 2 Claims. (Cl. 126-113) My invention relates to atomizer type humidifiers for use in heating plants such as furnaces and the like for humidifying the hot air conducted from the heating plant for circulation in the rooms of a building such as a home or the like. One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a humidifier of the construction hereinafter more fully set forth, which is an integral unit for installation by one other than a skilled mechanic, in a heating plant, such as a furnace.

Another and equally important object of the invention is the provision of an atomizer comprising a drain cup within which is arranged the atomizing means, the latter being so arranged as to produce a mist-like spray whereby such of the spray as is not evaporated by the heat from the heating plant, will fall into the cup and be drained therefrom.

Yet another object of this invention is in the provision in a device of this character of a means for deflecting the movement of the warm air away from the discharge end of an atomizer nozzle.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an atomizer type humidifier which is of simple construction and one which can be manufactured at an economical cost and be installed in a heating plant.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical part-sectional detail view of the invention showing the same installed in a heating plant;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 22 of FIG. 1.

The heating plant with which my invention is intended to be associated may be the conventional hot air heater utilized for heating a home or the like. It is intended that my improved humidifier have the atomizer portion thereof located within the heating plant in the path of the outgoing heated air, thus to humidity the air through evaporation.

In the drawings which show the preferred form of construction of my invention, a wall of such a heating plant is illustrated in FIG. 1. This wall has formed therein an opening 11 normally closed by a plate 12. Abutting the plate 12 is the flange 13 of a cover 14. The flange 13 and the plate 12 are secured to the furnace wall 10 by means of threaded studs 15. The cover 14 PI'OVlClCS an enclosure for an electrical solenoid water-supply control 16 of any conventional type for controlling the flow of water through a conduit 17. I have not disclosed any specific construction of the solenoid control because any suitable control may be used for the intended purpose.

The water is supplied to the conduit 17 by a supply pipe 18. The conduit 17 extends into the heating plant and at its interior end portion has an upturned end 19 which is connected in any suitable manner to a tube 20. The tube 20 projects into an inverted truncated shaped cup 21. The cup 21 is of a size which permits the same to be inserted through the opening 11 when the humidifier unit is installed with respect to the heating plant.

Within the cup 21 and supported by the tube 20 is an atomizer head 22 including a threaded stud 23 which is 3,250,266 Patented May 10, 1966 threaded into the upper end portion of the tube 20. The atomizer head includes a suitable spray nozzle or tip 24 which has a restricted orifice 24' for producing a spray of water. The nozzle 24 effects projection of the spray of fine particles of water in the form of a mist. Such of the particles of water as are not evaporated by the heated air will fall into the cup 21. To drain such entrapped water I provide a drain pipe 25 which has oneend portion extending through the bottom 26 of the cup 21 and the opposite end portion extending through the plate 12 and cover 14, as shown in FIG. 1.

To complete the invention there is provided a switch 27 which is carried by a wall of the cover 14 and has connection with circuit wires 28 which control the energization of the solenoid 16. The circuit wires 28 are intended to be connected in circuit with a thermostat located in the building. Such thermostat is not shown as it constitutes no part of my present invention.

The solenoid 16 could also be connected by the circuit wires 28 to a blower which is an integral part of the heating unit, so as to humidity the warm or heated air as it is forced through the duct thereof.

The advantages of locating the atomizer within the cup 21 reside in the fact that the shape of the cup 21 will deflect the heated air away from the nozzle 24 and prevent excess crystallization of mineral deposits thereon, and that the trapped water which has fallen into the cup 21 will be carried through the drain pipe 25 and thus prevent formation of mineral deposits in the heating plant.

From the foregoing description, it is clear that I have provided a simple atomizer type humidifier of economical manufacture which may be quickly and easily installed in the heating plant and which will be effective for its intended purpose. When the unit is sold, it is sold as an integral unit and installed in the heating plant as such. The component parts are made of such material as will best serve the purpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, thisis capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with the outer wall of a hot air furnace having an opening formed therein,

(a) a plate closing said opening,

(b) an enclosure having a flange abutting the plate,

(0) means for connecting said flange and said plate to said furnace wall,

(d) a water supply conduit carried by and extending through said enclosure and said plate and having an interior end portion extending in a vertical direction, (e) an inverted truncated cup carried by said end portion of said conduit,

(f) an atomizer arranged in said cup and carried by said conduit, g) a drain pipe communicating with said cup and extending through said plate and said enclosure,

(11) said cup being of a diameter to permit insertion of said cup through said opening when installed in said furnace.

2. In combination with the outer wall of a hot air furnace having an opening formed therein,

(a) a plate closing said opening,

(b) an enclosure having a flange abutting the plate,

(c) means for connecting said flange and said plate to said furnace wall,

(d) a Water supply conduit carried by and extending through said enclosure and said plate and having an interior end portion extending in a vertical direction,

(e) an inverted truncated cup carried by said end portion of said conduit,

(if) an atomizer arranged in said cup and carried by said conduit,

(g) a drain pipe communicating with said cup and eX- tending through said plate and said enclosure,

- (h) said cup being of a diameter to permit insertion of said cup through said opening when installed in said furnace,

(i) and means arranged in said enclosure for controlling the flow of water through said conduit to said atomizer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,111,165 3/1938 Brintnall 126-113 2,177,111 10/1939 Hubbard 126-113 2,303,948 12/1942 Morris 126-113 3,102,531 9/1963 Gross 126-113 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN COMBINATION WITH THE OUTER WALL OF A HOT AIR FURNACE HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN, (A) A PLATE CLOSING SAID OPENING, (B) AN ENCLOSURE HAVING A FLANGE ABUTTING THE PLATE, (C) MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FLANGE AND SAID PLATE TO SAID FURNACE WALL, (D) A WATER SUPPLY CONDUIT CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ENCLOSURE AND SAID PLATE AND HAVING AN INTERIOR END PORTION EXTENDING IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION, (E) AN INVERTED TRUNCATED CUP CARRIED BY SAID END PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT, (F) AN ATOMIZER ARRANGED IN SAID CUP AND CARRIED BY SAID CONDUIT, (G) A DRAIN PIPE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CUP AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PLATE AND SAID ENCLOSURE,

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