US3261597A - Space heater - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 3,261,597 SPACE HEATER Gregory J. McGough, 1200 Shryer Ave. W., St. Paul, Minn. Filed Oct. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 405,160 4 Claims. (Cl. 263-19) This invention relates to heating devices and more specifically to portable space heaters.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel portable space heater of simple and inexpensive construction, including a generally cylindrical housing having a burning mechanism therein and a blower mechanism positioned rearwardly of and below the burner mechanism for blowing air to be heated through the housing, and a flame deflecting member disposed adjacent the discharge end of the housing to deflect .and splash the flame produced by the combusting fuel into the stream of moving air so that the air will be more effectively heated as it passes through the housing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel space heater of the class described which is provided with a thermo-responsive control element operable for automatically closing the valve mechanism through which the fuel to the burner passes, in the event that the burner flame is accidentally or otherwise extinguished.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the novel space heater device;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the space heater device; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof with portions thereof broken away for clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that one embodiment of the novel space heater device, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, is thereshown. The space heater device comprises a generally circular cylindrical housing 11 preferably constructed of a suitable rigid metallic material, the interior of the housing defining a heating chamber 12. The forward end of the housing is open as at 13 and this'open front end defines a discharge outlet through which the heated air passes during operation of the heater device. The rear end of the housing 11 has an annular flange 14 so that the intake opening 15 defined thereby is substantially smaller than the discharge outlet 13.

A burner mechanism 16 is positioned within the housing in close proximity to the upper surface thereof and adjacent the rear or intake end of the housing. This burner mechanism includes .an elongate body member 17 to which is connected the nozzle member 18. Airports 19 are provided adjacent the points of connection of the nozzle and body members. The housing 11 is provided with circumferentially arranged air inlet openings 20 therein adjacent the burner mechanism 16, oxygen being necessary in the combustion of the combustible fuel which is supplied to the burner mechanism 16. It is pointed out that the burner mechanism 16 is substantially disposed in the vertical axial plane of the housing 11 and is sup- 3,261,597 Patented July 19, 1966 ported in part by the annular flange 14 and a bracket 21 which is located exteriorly of the housing and is welded thereto.

The mounting bracket 21 is of L-shaped configuration and a sleeve 22 is rigidly connected thereto and forms a support for the rear portion of the cylindrical body member 17 of the burner mechanism, the body member projecting through the sleeve 22.

A rear end portion of the elongate cylindrical body member 17 of the burning mechanism 16 is rigidly attached to a fitting connected to a flexible conduit 23. The other end of the conduit 23 also has a fitting carried thereby which is detachably connected to a poppet type control valve mechanism 24 which is mounted on the upper portion of the annular flange 14 exteriorly of the housing 11. The valve control mechanism 24 is connected in flow controlling relation to a conduit 25 which is connected to a source of fuel under pressure, preferably a bottle of combustible gas fuel.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that one end of an elongate thermo-responsive control element 26 is connected to an actuating element 27 of the valve control mechanism 24. This elongated control element 26 extends diagonally of the housing and has its other end secured to an attachment bracket 28a located adjacent the discharge end of the housing. It will be noted that the median portion of the control element is positioned in fairly close proximity to the nozzle member of the burner mechanism and will be enveloped with the flames produced by the combusting fuel during operation of the space heater. The valve control mechanism 24 has an actuator button 28 which when depressed will intercommunicate the nozzle mechanism with the source of fuel. When the actuating button is in the elevated position, the valve will be closed to prevent passage of fuel to the nozzle mechanism. The actuating element 27 to which the thermo-responsive control element 26 is connected is also operatively connected to the actuating button 28. During operation of the space heater device, the actuating button will be retained in the open or depressed condition against spring pressure when the thermo-responsive control element 26 is heated to a predetermined degree. However, when the burner mechanism is extinguished, the temperature of the thermo-respon'sive control element will quickly drop and this control element is then operative to release the actuating button so that the valve control mechanism will be automatically closed. It will therefore be seen that in the event that the combusting fuel at the discharge end of the nozzle member 18 is extinguished for example, accidentally, the supply of fuel to the nozzle member will be very quickly shut off by the automatic operation of the control element with respect to the valve control mechanism.

Means are provided for moving the air to be heated through the housing 11 and this means comprises a blower mechanism 29. The blower mechanism 29 includes an electric motor 30 having an armature or output shaft 31 that projects into the housing 11 and has .a bladed fan structure 32 secured thereto. In the embodiment shown, the hub portion of the fan is secured to the armature or output shaft 31, as best seen in FIG. 3. It will be noted that the electric motor 30 is provided with a generally U-shaped mounting bracket 32 which is secured as by bolt assemblies 34 to a supporting platform 35 which in turn is rigidly secured to the housing 11 adjacent the intake end thereof. It will be noted that the supporting platform 35 is of generally rectangular configuration and corresponds in width to the width of the chord of the arc which it traverses. The platform 35 which is constructed of a suitable metallic material has a pair of laterally spaced-apart axle attachment members 36 integrally formed therewith and depending therefrom. An axle 37 for a pair of ground engaging Wheels 38 is journaled in these axle supporting members 36.

Suitable electrical conductors 39 interconnect the electric motor 30 with a suitable source of electrical current and switch means are provided to permit the electric motor to be selectively energized. A handle 40 is rigidly secured to the exterior of the surface of the housing 11 adjacent the discharge end 13 thereof to facilitate moving the space heater device from one location to another. The small angular support element 41 is affixed to the lower exterior surface of the housing adjacent the discharge end to space this discharge end of the housing above the surface of the ground or other supporting surface upon which the heater device is disposed during operation thereof. This supporting element 41 may be secured to the housing by any suitable securing means such as welding or the like. In order to prevent the entry of debris to the heating chamber 12 during operation of the blower mechanism, a suitable screen type guard 4Q substantially cove-rs the intake opening 15 of the housing and is secured to the annular flange 14 located thereat by suitable bolt assemblies 43, as best seen in FIG. 1.

Means are also provided for assuring that most of the air to be heated which is introduced into the heating chamber 12 by the blower mechanism will in fact be effectively heated. This means includes a bafile or flame deflector member 44. It will be seen that this flame deflector member 44 which is of substantially rectangular configuration and preferably constructed of a suitable metallic material is secured to the inner upper surface of the housing 1 1 by an attachment bracket 45, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. This flame deflector member 44 is positioned closely adjacent but spaced slightly rearwardly of the discharge opening 13 of the housing 1 1 in a space substantially forwardly of the burner 18. The spacing of the deflector member with respect to the burner mechanism 16 and discharge opening 13' is such that no flames .will be able to escape from the exterior of the housing and there will be little, if any, tendency of the reversely flowing stream of com busting fuel from extinguishing the burner during operation of the heater device.

In operation, the deflector member 44 serves to splash the combusting fuel primarily downwardly and laterally to 'very effectively heat the air passing through the heating chamber so that the maximum use is made of the combusting fuel. It will be seen that the peripheral edges of the baffle member are spaced from the entire inner surface of the housing so that no undue turbulence will be produced while simultaneously deflecting the combu-sting fuel to heat the air before it is discharged from the housing.

During operation of the heater device, an operator will depress the actuating button 23 and ignite the combusting fuel discharged from the nozzle member 18. This actuating button will be held in its depressed condition for a short period of time until the actuating element 27 is heated to the degree to retain the button in its depressed condition. Access to the burner mechanism is provided by means of the air inlet openings 20 which are of a size to permit an operator to insert his hand therethrough. Thereafter, the blower mechanism is energized and air is blown through the heating chamber 12 wherein it will be heated by the combusting fuel which is burned therein. The combusting fuel, which is preferably a gas, will splash against the flame deflecting member 44, and while the combusting fuel will be deflected primarily downwardly into the stream of air to be heated, the corn-busting fuel will ialso be deflected radially outwardly in all directions with respect to the heating chamber 12.

It will therefore be seen that the air introduced through the intake opening will be effectively heated prior to its discharge from the outlet 13.

In the event that the flame is accidentally or otherwise extinguished, the control element 26 is operative upon cooling to permit the spring urged vvalve element in the valve control mechanism to be closed so that the supply of gas to the burner mechanism will be stopped. If it is desirable to move the heater to a new location, the heat-er device can be very easily moved by an operator by grasping the handle 40 and moving the heater device upon the wheels 38.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a novel space heater device which is of very light weight, inexpensive and simple construction, and which may be moved from one location to another with a minimum of effort.

It will further be seen that suitable safety means are provided for preventing the escape of gas in the event that the burner mechanism flame is extinguished during operation of the heater device. It will also be noted from the preceding paragraphs that the flame deflector means is arranged and constructed with respect to the heater housing and the burner mechanism so that maximum economy is obtained with respect to the combusting fuel used to heat the air introduced into the. heater housing.

Thus it will be see-n that I have provided a novel space heater device which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but one which functions in a more eificient manner than any heretofore known comparable devices.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable space heater device comprising a generally cylindrically shaped housing of circular cross sectional configuration being normally oriented whereby the axis thereof is disposed substantially horizontally, said housing having an open front discharge end and an open rear intake end,

groundengaging wheels connected to said housing for supporting the same for travel,

a nozzle burner mechanism positioned within said housing substantially in the axial center line plane thereof closely adjacent the upper center wall surface and rear intake end of said housing, said nozzle burner mechanism facing said front discharge end and being connected by conduit mean-s to a source of combustible fuel,

valve control mechanism interposed in communicating and flow controlling relation with respect to said conduit means,

a blower mechanism supported by said housing and positioned rearwardly and below said nozzle burner mechanism,

a substantially flat generally rectangular shaped baffle member fixedly connected with and extending transversely of the interior of said housing, the lower edge of said baffiemember being disposed adjacent the axis of said housing, said baflle member being positioned adjacent but spaced rearwardly of said discharge end and forwardly of said nozzle member and being effective to prevent the combusting fuel from escaping and splashing the combusting fuel into the stream of air produced by said blower mechanism to very effectively heat said stream of air.

2. The space heater device as defined in claim 1 wherein substantially the entire peripheral edges of said baflle member are spaced from the inner surface of said housing.

'3. The space heater device as defined in claim 2 and a thermo-responsive control element extending transversely of said housing between said nozzle burner mechanism and said baffle member and being operatively connected to said valve control mechanism to close said valve control mechanism in the event that the ignited combusting fuel is extinguished.

4. The portable space heater device as defined in claim 1 wherein said ground engaging Wheels are connected to said housing adjacent the intake rear end thereof, and an elongate handle member afiixed to the upper surface of the housing adjacent said front discharge end and projecting longitudinally therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN J. CAMBY, Acting Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A PORTABLE SPACE HEATER DEVICE COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED HOUSING OF CIRCULAR CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION BEING NORMALLY ORIENTED WHEREBY THE AXIS THEREOF IS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN FRONT DISCHARGE END AND AN OPEN REAR INTAKE END, GROUND ENGAGING WHEELS CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING FOR SUPPORTING THE SAME FOR TRAVEL, A NOZZLE BURNER MECHANISM POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOUSING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE AXIAL CENTER LINE PLANE THEREOF CLOSELY ADJACENT THE UPPER CENTER WALL SURFACE AND REAR INTAKE END OF SAID HOUSING, SAID NOZZLE BURNER MECHANISM FACING SAID FRONT DISCHARGE END AND BEING CONNECTED BY CONDUIT MEANS TO A SOURCE OF COMBUSTIBLE FUEL, VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM INTERPOSED IN COMMUNICATING AND FLOW CONTROLLING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONDUIT MEANS, A BLOWER MECHANISM SUPPORTED BY SAID HOUSING AND POSITIONED REARWARDLY AND BELOW SAID NOZZLE BURNER MECHANISM, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SHAPED BAFFLE MEMBER FIXEDLY CONNECTED WITH AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID BAFFLE MEMBER BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE AXIS OF SAID HOUSING, SAID BAFFLE MEMBER BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT BUT SPACED REARWARDLY OF SAID DISCHARGE END AND FORWARDLY OF SAID NOZZLE MEMBER AND BEING EFFECTIVE TO PREVENT THE COMBUSTING FUEL FROM ESCAPING AND SPLASHING THE COMBUSTING FUEL INTO THE STREAM OF AIR PRODUCED BY SAID BLOWER MECHANISM TO VERY EFFECTIVELY HEAT SAID STREAM OF AIR.

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