US3554182A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid heater especially adapted for liquid submerged use
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-11-14
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Granted: 1971-01-12
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Expires: 1988-11-14
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a liquid heater, especially adapted for liquid submerged uses, as for example, for heating a swimming pool. The heater has a mixing unit for air and fuel with a venturi configuration to permit the use of air under comparatively low pressures. The combustion generated is of the pulse type and the combustion chamber in which the fuel-air mixture is ignited has a body of material of high radiating potential, such as ceramic, which is heated in the combustion chamber and which radiates its heat to the enclosing heatconducting walls of the chamber in contact with the liquid to be heated. An exhaust tube also submerged in the liquid to be heated carries the exhaust gases to a region near the surface of the liquid to be heated and discharges it into the liquid causing the liquid to splash against part of a discharge device at the outlet of the exhaust tube made of heat-conducting material, such as metal, to extract thermal energy from said exhaust gases.
Inventors
- 👤 Francis M Whitacre
- 👤 John L Umpleby
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:32
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24H; F24H1/00; F24H1/0027; F24H1/0045; E; E04; E04H; E04H4/00; E04H4/12; E04H4/129; F24H1/0054; F24H1/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A liquid heater of the liquid submersible type comprising a fuel-air mixing device with an outlet for discharge of combustible fuel-air mixtures, means forming a combustion chamber connected at one end to the outlet of said mixing device to receive said mixtures and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of said heater, means for igniting the fuel-air mixtures in said chamber, an exhaust tube connected at one end to the other end of said chamber and extending along said chamber spaced therefrom, said exhaust tube having a wall of heat-transmitting material and being submerged in said liquid in operative position of said heater, and means at the other end of said exhaust tube for discharging the exhaust gases from said exhaust tube in said liquid below the surface of said liquid in operative position of said heater.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A liquid heater of the liquid submersible type comprising a fuel-air mixing device with an outlet for discharge of combustible fuel-air mixtures, means forming a combustion chamber connected at one end to the outlet of said mixing device to receive said mixtures and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of said heater, means for igniting the fuel-air mixtures in said chamber, an exhaust tube connected at one end to the other end of said chamber and extending along said chamber spaced therefrom, said exhaust tube having a wall of heat-transmitting material and being submerged in said liquid in operative position of said heater, and means at the other end of said exhaust tube for discharging the exhaust gases from said exhaust tube in said liquid below the surface of said liquid in operative position of said heater.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 1, comprising a second exhaust tube connected at one end to said other end of said combustion chamber and extending along said chamber spaced therefrom, said second exhaust tube having a waLl of heat-transmitting material and being also submerged in said liquid in operative position of the heater, and a second means at the other end of said second exhaust tube for discharging the exhaust gases from said second exhaust tube in said liquid below the surface of said liquid in operative position of said heater.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 1, said discharging means comprising conduit means having heat-transmitting walls located above the level of the liquid in operative position of the heater, and having a discharge pipe connected to the outlet of said conduit means and provided with a discharge opening in position to be submerged in the liquid in operative position of the heater, said discharge opening being located in position to cause liquid carried by the exhaust gases discharged from said discharge opening to be directed and splashed against the heat-transmitting walls of said conduit means in operative position of the heater.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 3, said conduit means comprising a metal return bend connected to said other end of said exhaust tube, said discharge pipe being connected to the outlet of said bend, and said discharge opening being located on the inner side of said discharge pipe nearest said exhaust tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 4, comprising a hood of heat-transmitting material connected to said bend and enclosing said bend, said hood being open at one end, said discharge opening being positioned to direct the exhaust gases discharged from said discharge opening as well as the liquid carried by the latter gases against said bend and said hood.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
A liquid heater comprising a fuel-air mixing device including a venturi tube defining a throat region, means for admitting air into said tube on the upstream side of said throat region, and means for admitting fuel gas directly into the throat region of said tube, aided by the inspirating effect of the air passing through said throat to form fuel-air combustible mixtures, means forming a combustion chamber communicating with the discharge end of said tube to receive said fuel-air mixtures and including a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, and means for igniting the mixtures in said chamber comprising an electrically grounded screen across the downstream end of said tube, an insulating spacer supported in said screen, and a spark-generating electrode rod extending along said venturi tube and passing at its terminal end through said spacer and into said combustion chamber, said spacer separating the terminal spark-emitting end of said electrode rod and said screen by a spark gap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
159 words
A liquid heater comprising a fuel-air mixing device including a venturi tube defining a throat region, means for admitting air into said tube on the upstream side of said throat region, and means for admitting fuel gas directly into the throat region of said tube, aided by the inspirating effect of the air passing through said throat to form fuel-air combustible mixtures, means forming a combustion chamber communicating with the discharge end of said tube to receive said fuel-air mixtures and including a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, and means for igniting the mixtures in said chamber comprising an electrically grounded screen across the downstream end of said tube, an insulating spacer supported in said screen, and a spark-generating electrode rod extending along said venturi tube and passing at its terminal end through said spacer and into said combustion chamber, said spacer separating the terminal spark-emitting end of said electrode rod and said screen by a spark gap.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 6, said electrode rod having a tubular section provided with discharge port means at said throat region and constituting said means for admitting fuel gas into said throat region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
169 words
A liquid heater of the submersible type comprising means forming a combustion chamber and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said combustion chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of the heater, means for delivering combustible mixtures of fuel and air into said chamber and for igniting said mixtures, a body of material having high heat radiation potential, located in said chamber, said body being spaced from said tubular wall and having its surface exposed to combustion action in said chamber to cause said body to be heated to a degree to emit radiant energy from said body to said wall to heat said wall, means for carrying on combustion in said chamber as a succession of pulses, the ignition and initiation of combustion taking place in the headspace of said combustion chamber, said means for carrying on pulse combustion comprising an annular screen in said headspace equally spaced peripherally from said tubular wall to prevent quenching of combustion in said headspace.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
169 words
A liquid heater of the submersible type comprising means forming a combustion chamber and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said combustion chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of the heater, means for delivering combustible mixtures of fuel and air into said chamber and for igniting said mixtures, a body of material having high heat radiation potential, located in said chamber, said body being spaced from said tubular wall and having its surface exposed to combustion action in said chamber to cause said body to be heated to a degree to emit radiant energy from said body to said wall to heat said wall, means for carrying on combustion in said chamber as a succession of pulses, the ignition and initiation of combustion taking place in the headspace of said combustion chamber, said means for carrying on pulse combustion comprising an annular screen in said headspace equally spaced peripherally from said tubular wall to prevent quenching of combustion in said headspace.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
205 words
A liquid heater of the submersible type comprising means forming a combustion chambEr having a headspace and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said combustion chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of the heater, means for delivering combustible mixtures of fuel and air into said headspace, means for igniting and initially said mixtures in said headspace, means for carrying out combustion in and throughout said headspace as a regular sequence of pulses with alternate phases of lower and higher pressures, and comprising a rod of material having high heat radiation potential spaced from one end of said headspace to define the other end of said headspace and confining said headspace to a volume sufficiently restricted to permit generation of regular combustion pulses in said headspace, said rod extending from said headspace along said tubular wall and being peripherally spaced from said wall to form a space around a said rod communicating with said headspace at said other end of said headspace, the end of said rod nearest said headspace being directly in the region of combustion in said headspace to cause some combustion in said headspace to take place directly on the surface of said rod end.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
205 words
A liquid heater of the submersible type comprising means forming a combustion chambEr having a headspace and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said combustion chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of the heater, means for delivering combustible mixtures of fuel and air into said headspace, means for igniting and initially said mixtures in said headspace, means for carrying out combustion in and throughout said headspace as a regular sequence of pulses with alternate phases of lower and higher pressures, and comprising a rod of material having high heat radiation potential spaced from one end of said headspace to define the other end of said headspace and confining said headspace to a volume sufficiently restricted to permit generation of regular combustion pulses in said headspace, said rod extending from said headspace along said tubular wall and being peripherally spaced from said wall to form a space around a said rod communicating with said headspace at said other end of said headspace, the end of said rod nearest said headspace being directly in the region of combustion in said headspace to cause some combustion in said headspace to take place directly on the surface of said rod end.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 9, said means for igniting initially the combustible mixtures being adapted to be rendered inoperative after combustion in said headspace has been established, said rod being of a material to reignite the combustible mixture in the headspace in case combustion is interrupted in said headspace after said means for initially igniting the combustible mixture has been red rendered inoperative.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A liquid heater as described in claim 9, said means for carrying out combustion in and throughout said headspace comprising means for continuing combustion in said space and along the surface of said rod along said space.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
199 words
A liquid heater of the submersible type comprising means forming a combustion chamber having a headspace and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said combustion chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of the heater, means for delivering combustible mixtures of fuel and air into said headspace, means for igniting said mixtures in said headspace, a rod of material having high radiation potential spaced from one end of said headspace to define the other end of said headspace and confining said headspace to a volume sufficiently restricted to cause combustion in said headspace to take place throughout said headspace and to an incomplete extent, said rod extending from said headspace along said tubular wall and being peripherally spaced from said wall to form a space around said rod communicating with said headspace at said end of said headspace, the end of said rod nearest said headspace being directly in the region of combustion in said headspace to cause some combustion in said headspace to take place directly on the surface of said rod end, the combustion in said headspace being continued in said space and over the peripheral surface of said rod.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
199 words
A liquid heater of the submersible type comprising means forming a combustion chamber having a headspace and comprising a heat-transmitting tubular wall enclosing said chamber, said combustion chamber being submerged in the liquid to be heated in operative position of the heater, means for delivering combustible mixtures of fuel and air into said headspace, means for igniting said mixtures in said headspace, a rod of material having high radiation potential spaced from one end of said headspace to define the other end of said headspace and confining said headspace to a volume sufficiently restricted to cause combustion in said headspace to take place throughout said headspace and to an incomplete extent, said rod extending from said headspace along said tubular wall and being peripherally spaced from said wall to form a space around said rod communicating with said headspace at said end of said headspace, the end of said rod nearest said headspace being directly in the region of combustion in said headspace to cause some combustion in said headspace to take place directly on the surface of said rod end, the combustion in said headspace being continued in said space and over the peripheral surface of said rod.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |