US591588A

US591588A - Water-heater

Info

Publication number: US591588A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1914-10-12

Description

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. BUERKLE.

WATER HEATER. N0. 591,588. Patented 0013,12, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. BUERKLE. WATER HEATER 1%.. 591,588. Patented Oct, 12,1897.

FH3.E..

fa: ncmRw PEYER: co mum UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST BUERKLE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER -HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,588, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed March 18, 1897- serni 628,114. on model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, AUGUST BUERKLE, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Waf ter-I-Ieaters, of which improvements the following is a specification. i

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in valve mechanism for water-heaters, especially of that class orv kind known as domestic heaters.

The invention has for its object a construc: tion of valve mechanisms for controlling the flow of gas and water, the mechanisms being so connected that the flow of gas andwater is controlled by and proportioned in accord ance with the flow of water from the heater.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to provide an increased flow of gas to the pilotlight at such times as it is liable to be extinguished by the flow of gas from the 'main burner and its cut-off therefrom.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a heater having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the valve mechanisms controlling the flow of Water and gas to the heater. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating the mechanism employed for increasing the flow of gas to the pilot-light; and Fig. 4 is a sec-. tional plan view, the plane of section being indicated by the line IV IV, Fig. 3.

In the practice of my invention I provide a heater 1, of any suitable construction, but preferably consisting of a coil of pipe arranged within a suitable shell, substantially as described and showninapplication of J G. Beckfield, Serial No. 605,856, and filed September 15, 1896. This coil is arranged in the upper part of the shell 1, and in the lower part of the shell is located the annularburner 2. This burner is connected to the nozzle 3 of the gas-valve mechanism, and the gassupply pipe is similarly connected to the nozzle4. The flow of gas is controlled by a plug 6, preferably tapered, as shown, so that the flow of gas will be proportioned in accordance with the elevation of the plug. On the upper end of the plug 6 is secured a washer 7, preferably formed of rubber, and a supporting metal washer 8. The rubber Washer serves'to entirely cut off the flow of gas, while the tapering plug below the washer will regulate the flow in accordance with the flow of water, as will be hereinafter described. The plug 6 an'dwasher 7 are secured to the upper end of a rod 9, which extends down through suitable stuffing-boxes into the cylinder 10, Within which is arranged the piston 11, provided with a packing 12, forming a watertight joint with the Walls of the cylinder. The water-supply pipe 13 is connected to a threaded nipple 14, formed on the lower cap 15 of the cylinder, and the latter is connected to the heating-coil, within .the case 1, by a pipe 16, and the coil is connected by a pipe '17 to the service-pipes of the house.

- By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the outlet-pipe 16 is connected to the cylinder 10 at a point above the normal stroke of the piston 11, and in order to permit water to flow by the piston into the upper part of the cylinder an opening, which may be conical, is formed through the piston, and in said opening is arranged a tapering plug 18. While this plug will be held normally seated Within the opening in the piston by the pressure of Water, it is preferred to reinforce the waterpressure by a spring 19, surrounding the stem 20 of the plug and bearing at one end against the piston and at the opposite end against the "shoulder2l on the stem. This stem is made ofsuch a'length that as'the piston commences its upward movement the stem will bear is shown in Fig. 2, and consists of a conical block 22, provided with a threaded stem screwed into a spider 23, secured in the cap and locked in its adjusted position by a nut 24. It will be observed that this auxiliary valve mechanism is arranged entirely within the cylinder or its cap, and hence cannot be tampered with after having been adjusted in its desired position.

The piston 11 is normally held at the lower end of the cylinder 10 by means of a spring 25, arranged in a cap 26 on the shell of the gas-valve mechanism and bearing at one end against the washer S and at the opposite end against the threaded plug 27, screwing into the cap 26, whereby it is possible to adjust the tension of the spring as required. This adjusting-plug is protected by an internallythreaded cap or plug 28, screwing onto the cap 26, as shown in Fig. 2.

Care should be taken in adjusting the tension of the spring 25 not to render it so great as to prevent the easy shifting of the piston when the pressure of water above the latter is relieved. As soon as this pressure on the upper side of the piston is relieved the pressure of water on the under side thereof will force the piston 11 and the block 6 upward, thereby u nseatin g the washer '7 and the tapering plug 18, permitting gas to flow to the annular burner 2 and water to flow to the coil in the case or shell 1. If the faucets in house service-pipes are fully opened, all fluid-pressure above the piston will be relieved and the latter can be shifted to the limit of its movement by the pressure in the supply-pipe, thereby effecting an opening of the passage through the piston and also through the gasvalve mechanism to the fullest limit. If the fluid-pressure above the piston is not entirely relieved by opening the faucets, the piston will be raised only a short distance and the gas and water valves only slightly opened. It is thus seen that the flow of gas will be always proportioned to the flow of water through the coil.

Considerable trouble is experienced by reason of the blowing out of the pilot-light on the sudden flow of gas from the main burner 2 and the puff or quick explosion which occurs when the gas is cut off from the main burner. In order to overcome this difliculty, I provide for an increased flow of gas to the pilot-light just prior to the flow of gas to the main burner and its cut-off therefrom. To this end the gas-supply pipe 29 is connected by a branch 30 to a passage 31 in the walls of the cylinder 32, the ends of said passage being connected with the upper and lower ends of the cylinder 32, respectively. The pilotlight 33, which may be of any suitable construction, is connected by a pipe 3i to apassage 35, formed in the walls of the cylinder 32 and connected to the upper and lower ends of said cylinder, as shown in Fig. 3. The passage 31 is provided at or near its ends with check-valves 3G 36, which will permit the easy flow of gas to the cylinder, but will prevent its flow therefrom into the passage 31. The passage is similarly provided with check-

valves

37 and 37, adapted to permit the flow of gas from the cylinder, but to prevent any return thereto. Within the cylinder 32 is arranged a piston 38, having its stem 39 connected to one end of a lever t0, the opposite end of which is provided with a slot which engages trunnions ll,formcd on or secured to the rod 9. It will be observed that under normal conditions gas from the supply-pipe 29 will flow easily through the pipe 30 and passage 31 to the cylinder 32, and from thence through the passage 35 and pipe 3% to the pilot-burner. As soon as the piston 11 commences its upward movement the lever.

40 will be so shifted by the rod 9 as to pull the piston 38 down with considerable rapidity, thereby forcing the gas below the piston through the passage 35 and pipe 34: to the pilot-light, causing a sudden increase and steadiness to the pilot-flame. As the piston 11 is moved down by its spring 25 the piston 38 will be forced up, pushing the gas from the upper end of the piston 32 to the pilot-light, so as to steady the flame and prevent its being blown out by the puff or explosion consequent on the turning off of the gas from the main burner. As soon as the piston 38 becomes stationary the gas will flow normally to the pilot-light.

I claim herein as my invention 1. The combination of a fluid-receptacle having supply and outlet pipes, a gas-burner for heating the receptacle, a valve for regulating the flow of gas to the furnace, a piston adapted to be shifted on the withdrawal of water from the receptacle and connected to the gas-regulating Valve, and a valve operated by the movements of the piston for controlling the flow of water to the heater, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a fluid-receptacle having supply and outlet pipes, a piston adapted to be shifted by and in accordance with the escape of water from the receptacle, a valve controlling the flow of water to the receptacle and adapted to be shifted by the piston in accordance with its movements, a gas-burner for heating the receptacle, and a valve operated by the piston and adapted to control the flow of gas to the burner proportional to the flow of water through the heater, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a main gas-burner, a pilot-light burner and means operative on the flow of gas to the main burner and its outoif therefrom for increasing the flow of gas to the pilot-burner, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination ,of a main gas-burner, a pilot-light burner and means operative on the flow of gas to the main burner for increasing the flow of gas to the pilot-burner, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a main gas-burner, a pilot-light burner and means operative on the cut-off of gas from the main burner for increasing the flow of gas to the pilot-burner, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a fluid-receptacle having inlet and outlet pipes, a, cylinder arpiston for regulating the flow of gas to the 10 ranged in the line of connection of the inlet; burner, substantially as set forth. pipe, a piston arranged to operate between In testimony whereof I have hereunto-set the inlet and outlet ports of the cylinder, and my hand. 5 provided with a passage therethrough, avalve c'ontrolling the flow of Water through the pis AUGUST B ton and adapted to be unseated on the move- Witnesses: ment of the piston, a gas-burner for heating DARWIN S. WOLCOTT, the receptacle, and a Valve connected to the v F. E. GAITHER.