Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
In a gas-fired appliance including a heating chamber, a fuel gas burner in association with said chamber to heat material therein, duct means which include at least two ducts for supplying incoming and exhausting air, and means for circulating said incoming and exhausting air, the improvement which comprises in combination: means for preheating incoming air and cooling exhaust air from said appliance disposed in communication with the incoming and exhausting air ducts, and means for regulation of direction of circulation of said air through said ducts disposed in association therewith, said regulation means alternately permitting said ducts to operate as either incoming or exhaust ducts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
In a gas-fired appliance including a heating chamber, a fuel gas burner in association with said chamber to heat material therein, duct means which include at least two ducts for supplying incoming and exhausting air, and means for circulating said incoming and exhausting air, the improvement which comprises in combination: means for preheating incoming air and cooling exhaust air from said appliance disposed in communication with the incoming and exhausting air ducts, and means for regulation of direction of circulation of said air through said ducts disposed in association therewith, said regulation means alternately permitting said ducts to operate as either incoming or exhaust ducts.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
135 words
An improved appliance as in claim 1 wherein said means for preheating incoming air and cooling exhaust air includes a first and a second checker-box containing heat-resistant and substantially nonthermal conductive materials, said first checker-box being disposed in communication with one of said ducts to alternately heat and cool said incoming and exhaust air respectively as said air direction changes in response to said regulation means, said second checker-box being disposed in another of said ducts to alternately cool and heat said exhausting and incoming air respectively in response to said regulation means and being in functional mode opposite said first checker-box, said regulation means including means for controlling said alternating flow of incoming and exhaust gases to pass through said checker-boxes in a cycle and maintaining the exhaust gases temperature below a predetermined maximum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
An improved appliance as in claim 2 wherein said regulation means includes duct means disposed between said checker-boxes and said heating chamber, and contains means for diverting air into and out of said chamber in unison with regulation of air incoming and exhausting from said checker-boxes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
An improved appliance as in claim 3 wherein said means for regulation includes means for alternately switching air between said incoming air and exhaust ducts to said first and second checker-boxes respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
An improved appliance as in claim 4 wherein said regulation means includes means for sensing heat disposed in said exhaust duct and operative to actuate said switching means in response to a preset level of heat in said exhaust duct.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An improved appliance as in claim 5 wherein said switching means includes valves comprising pivoted baffles operated in unison.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
An improved appliance as in claim 3 wherein said regulation duct means includes a duct for receiving preheated air from said first checker-box for delivery to said chamber and said burner, and at least one duct for passing flue gas from said burner to said second checker-box, said flue gas duct being closeable by a valve pivotable between a first and second position, and said receiving duct alternately communicating with said checker-boxes by a valve pivotable between a first position providing passage from said first checker-box to a second position providing passage from said second checker-box.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
An improved appliance as in claim 1 wherein said chamber is an oven cooking chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
An improved appliance as in claim 1 wherein said chamber is an incinerator chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improved appliance as in claim 1 wherein said chamber is a heating chamber disposed beneath a smooth top range heating surface.