US967058A

US967058A - Electric water-heater.

Info

Publication number: US967058A
Application number: US53434609A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert N Roche
Original assignee: THOMAS B GRAY
Current assignee: THOMAS B GRAY
Priority date: 1909-12-21
Filing date: 1909-12-21
Publication date: 1910-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1927-08-09

Description

H. N. ROCHE. ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21, 1909.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FEICE.\,\

. HERBERT N. ROCHE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS B. GRAY,

. or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug.

To all it may concern:-

Be it known that I, .Hnnennr NOSWORTHY Roo nn, a citizen of the United States, residmg in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in-Electric /Vatereaters, of which the following is a specicat1on.- This invention relates to water-heaters, and pertains particularly to instantaneous electric heaters.

The-object of my invention'is to provide an electric water-heater that will fully meet and satisfy theexactmg requirements of boards of fire underwriters, and municipal building regulations relating to electrical apparatus; to provide, in combination with an electric water heating unit, mechanism stantaneously closed after whereby astandard snap switch is actuated in unison with and automatically by a water-controlling valve,- and torovide mechanism whereby an electric circuit is ina desired volume of liquid is permitted to flow through the heater and by which thecircuit is'broken just before the flow of fluid is preventing'the burning out of the coils. ther purposes of the invention will be setforth in the specification.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination ofyparts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed,.having reference tothe accompanymg drawings, 1n WlllCh- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a central, 'vertical section partially in elevation. -Fig. 3 is a plan view of the switch mechanism.

. Fig. 4 1s a perspective of a standard, two- 1e sna switch. F1 5 is a erspective of ilfe coup ler. Fig. 6 is a secti bnal view of same. -Fig. 7 isa section on line w-a: Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail of the racks and pinions. F1g.-.9 is a perspective of a portion of the. coil insulator. An important feature of my invention is inltheemployment of a suitable snap switch, as for instance a form of which is shown at 2, secured-to a cap 3, of suitable insulatincandescent ing material, forming a cover for a waterrece1ver'4.

The switch andreceiver are inclosed in-a;

casing 5 having a crown 6-surmounted by an stopped, thereby posts 20-21, thus,

hght'bulb '7. The lower. end" 6 shown closed, be opened water'will' pas: up rdly through the perforated bottoiv 9-i1 a the receiver 4, and around and between suitably connected, heating coils 13 nested in 14, thence downward througha central insulated pipe l5, and escaping through an adjustable, removable spout 16 connected to thebase 9. The terminals 17 of the are conveniently fastened in appropriate binding-posts 18, in the cap 3 of the water-' receiver-4, and the posts 18 are suitably connected, as by lead wires 19, to spring posts 20 of the switch 2. provided with other spring posts 21 to which are secured the main feed wires.22 which are brought up through the base 9 and within the casing 5, and when the usual rotary switch-stem blades 24 will snap rection into and out If .the valve,

successively in one diof contact with spring when in contact, completing a circuit from one main across the switch, through the across the switch, and .out over the other main.

It may here be stated that to the posts 20 are secured conductors 25-26 leading to the lamp 7 which consequently will be lighted 90' whenever the coil circuit is closed.

An essential and important feature of my invention resides in providing mechanism in combination with the switch which will be reliable. effective and safe in opera- 95 tion; and which may be manipulated, with a very small exertion of energy, in conjunction with the valve 11. It is my aim to permit the valve to be opened dan er of short-circuiting the circuit-closing mechanism, or of closing the circuit; and to insure the instantaneous operation of the switch as ,the flow-of water iscut oil.

Suitable means may be employed to trans- 105 -'o.wer from the valve stem 12 t'o'the 2, and to this end I secure to the mit switc valve-stem a pinion 27 engaging a rack 28;.

atubular insulator series of coils 13 The switch is also '75 23 is turned, the switch coils l3, thence again to nearly its full extent-without 2 corpse slidable in a bearing 29 secured to the base 9; The rack extends upwardly Within the casing 5, and is connected by a rod 30 to a plate 31 hearing short racks 32-33 guided in a frame 34 fastened to the cap 3, Figs, 1 and 3. The racks 32 -and 33 are shown as being placed out of line, relatively, and

each is dapted to mesh, on'opposite sides,

with fl nged pinions '353 6, .which are loosely mountedupon a shaft or coupler 37, journaled in the. frame as, Fig. -6. The couplershaft' 37 is threaded as at 38, and is screwed upon the switch stem 23, and has fastened uponit flanges 39 and 20' abutting 15.

the adjacentactuating pinions 35-36 respectively. The pinion 35 carries a sprin pressed pawl 35 adapted to engage shoifiders 41 on the flange 39, and likewise the pinion 36 carries a pawl 36' adapted to engage shoulders 42 on the flange so.

The operation of the switch-throwing mechanism is then as follows; When the valve stem 12 is turned to permit the water to flow, it raises the rack 28 and the

racks

32 and 33 turn their coacting

pinions

35 and 36 in .opposite directions, the pawl 35' fall ing into engagement with shoulder 4.1 on

the, flange 39, and thus turning the coupler shaft 37 clockwise. The valve stem 12 may be turned to allow the desired volume of water flow from the spout 16, without being heated, and if it is desired to heat the water the valve stem is turned tothe fullest extent, and just before the limit of in. tion is reached the pawl-driven coupler-shaft 37 turnsthe switch stem 23 suficiently to allow the switch-blades 24 to snap around and close the electric circuit through the heating coils 13. The switch remains in this closed position untilthe valve-stem 12, being turned down to stop the flow of water rotates the pinion 36 carrying its pawl 36 upwardly into engagement with a shoulder 42 on the flange of the shaft 37, and just 45 prior to the-closing of the valve 11, the

coupler 37 will throw the switch 2 and break the heating circuit. As stated the

racks

32 and 33 are disposed on opposite sides of the pinions, and these are loose-on the shaft 37,

5 consequently the pinio'nswill turn in o posite directions at each reci rocation 0 the rack-rod 30. The pawl. 35 turns the shaft 37 each time the rod is raised, and the pawl 36 is efi'ective to turn the shaft in the same direction each time the rodis lowered.

has been closed,- it remains so until the valve. I

is nearly closed when the snap switch is actuated and interrupts the circuit.

To protect the apparatus against damage from the possible contingency of the lack of water in the service system, I may provide 'at a convenient point in the coils 13, within the receiver, a fuse or its equivalent 4.3 which will melt and sever the continuity of poil circuit in the absence of water at the use. g

- It is understood that whe're reference is made to insulating material in this specification that any suitable substance best adapted to the requirements may b employed.

The bulb 7 serves as a means for indicat- 3 ing that the circuit is closed, and for general illumination, while the hot water 1s running from the 'valve. The structure provided enables a erson to so open the valve as to obtain near y the full capacity of the service without operatin the switch, and also enables one to so reduce the volume of water discharged from so the nozzle that the entire heating efficiency of the coils may be' utilized to heat this small volume to the-desired temperature.

F i 9 shows extensions of insulating tubes for t e purposeof protecting the terminals from water contact.

insulating the heating unit from the metal bottom of the tubes.

The extension ofthe tubes at the bottom is for the purpose of Suitable insulation is placed between the ap aratus and the water pipe.

aving thus described my invention, what Iclaim and desire to. secure by Letters Patent isa receiver, inlet and discharge connections thereto, an, electric heating unit in said'receiver, a rotatable snap-switch, and means including a longitudinally mo able member 1. In a water heater, the combination of associated with the inlet connection, and a member engaged and rotated thereby and connectible to the switch.

2. In an electric water-heater, a receiver,

an inlet valve and a discharge connection for the receiver, an electric heating unit in the receiver, a snap switch, a con ler therefor, and means operatively connecting said coupler and the valve, said'means comprising a slidably mounted rack connected to the water valve, a pinion engaged and rotated by .1

said rack, and connections between the pin ion and a member of the switch. 3. An electric water-heater comprising-a water-receiver, an electric heating unit there- 1n, a valve for controlling. the flow of water through the receiver, a'sna switchoperative to connect said unit an ma1ns,-a coupone direction, and means connecting said"- -ler shaft adapted to operate the switch in shaft and the valve. said means comprising 1 a slidably mounted rack conf ected to the -.water valve, a pinion engaged and rotated and connections between the by said rack, and connections between the pinion and a member of the switch.

4. In a Water-heater, an electricheatin unit, current supply mains, a snap switch adapted to complete an electric circuit through said unit and said mains, and means operative in conjunction with a supply valve of the water-heater whereby the switch is closed whenwater is admitted to the heater, and is opened when the valve is closed to cut oil the water, by intermittent rotation in one direction, said means comprising a slidably mounted rack connected to the water valve, a pinion engaged'and rotated by said rack, plnion and a member-of the switch. 7

5. In a water-heater, a water-receiver, a valve controlling the flow of water into said receiver, an electrioheating unit contained in the receiver, electric feed mains, a switch interposed between said mains and said unit,

a coupler for said. switch, and mechanism adapted to operate saldcoupler in one direction, said mechan sm including pawl-carryingipinions loose on the coupler, and racks for said pinions connected to the valve.

6. l'lhe combination in a Water-heater of a water-container, an electric heating unit, an electric current-controlling switch, acock controlling the water supply, a pair of pinions loosely turnable upon a shaft, rack bars actuated in unison with the turning of the cock to turn the pinions in opposite directions, connections between the pinion shaft and the snap switch, and pawls adapted to act alternately to rotate the switch in a single direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT N. ROCHE. IVitnesses:

Gno. H, STRONG,

HARLES EDELMAN.