Gas-fired heater means

Claim 1

Improved gas-fired space heater means, comprising: heat exchanger means for transferring heat generated by the combustion of a combustible gas-air mixture to an air stream circulated between said heat exchanger means and the space to be heated; said heat exchanger means comprising a plurality of vertically extending finned tubes connected in parallel to a fluid inlet adjacent the upper portion of said heat exchanger and a fluid outlet adjacent the lower portion of said heat exchanger; pressurized combustor means positioned above said heat exchanger for mixing fuel gas with pressurized air to produce and burn said gas-air mixture; said combustor means comprising a horizontally extending, elongate member of inverted U-shape cross section and including opposed vertical side walls, the open bottom of said member being in communication with said heat exchanger inlet; a gas supply means in the upper portion of said elongate member, said supply means extending longitudinally of said member and having gas apertures therein for the flow of gas into said member substantially parallel to the side walls thereof; means for introducing pressurized air into said member comprising at least one row of primary combustion air apertures in each of said side walls adjacent said gas apertures and at least one row of secondary combustion air apertures in the lower portion of each of said side walls; said heat exchanger means outlet being fluid-connected to vent means for exhausting said pressurized gas-air mixture to the atmosphere such that products of combustion of said gas-air mixture will be forced downward through said heat exchanger means and out through said vent means by said pressurized air during operation of said combustor means, and condensate which may form within said heat exchanger means during dormancy of said combustor means will be directed away from said combustor means by gravity.