US3779229A — Heater for vehicles

Claim 1

Independent Claim 224 words

A compact fluid-fuel-fired heater for use in vehicles and the like comprising in combination: a central casing having a longitudinal center axis; an electric motor mounted axially on one end of the casing; a combustion air blower in the form of an impeller driven by the electric motor, the blower supplying combustion air through the casing; a combustion chamber extending from the other axial end of the casing; a heat exchanger extending from the same end of the casing and arranged in correlation with the combustion chamber, so that during operation, the combustion heat is transferred to a heat carrier medium circulating through the heat exchanger; a burner head forming an axial communicating passage between the casing and the combustion chamber; a fuel atomizing nozzle arranged in the center of the burner head so as to aim its fuel discharge axially through the communicating passage into the combustion chamber, and means for feeding fuel to the atomizing nozzle from a fuel reservoir, the fuel feeding means including a fuel pump driven by the electric motor, the atomizing nozzle being mounted on the fuel pump; the electric motor and the impeller driven by the motor being arranged substantially in axial alignment with the atomizing nozzle so as to create an annular axially directed flow of combustion air around the atomizing nozzle into the combustion chamber.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 224 words

A compact fluid-fuel-fired heater for use in vehicles and the like comprising in combination: a central casing having a longitudinal center axis; an electric motor mounted axially on one end of the casing; a combustion air blower in the form of an impeller driven by the electric motor, the blower supplying combustion air through the casing; a combustion chamber extending from the other axial end of the casing; a heat exchanger extending from the same end of the casing and arranged in correlation with the combustion chamber, so that during operation, the combustion heat is transferred to a heat carrier medium circulating through the heat exchanger; a burner head forming an axial communicating passage between the casing and the combustion chamber; a fuel atomizing nozzle arranged in the center of the burner head so as to aim its fuel discharge axially through the communicating passage into the combustion chamber, and means for feeding fuel to the atomizing nozzle from a fuel reservoir, the fuel feeding means including a fuel pump driven by the electric motor, the atomizing nozzle being mounted on the fuel pump; the electric motor and the impeller driven by the motor being arranged substantially in axial alignment with the atomizing nozzle so as to create an annular axially directed flow of combustion air around the atomizing nozzle into the combustion chamber.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 124 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber is in the form of a coaxially extending combustion cylinder open at the far end and surrounded by a closed coaxial cylinder so as to create an axial flow gap at the open end of the combustion cylinder and an annular reverse flow gap between the cylinder walls, the combustion chamber further including a radially oriented exhaust outlet near the inner end of the reverse flow gap; and the heat exchanger includes still another coaxial, closed cylinder surrounding the outer cylinder of the combustion chamber, so as to form an annular jacket for a heat carrier medium, the jacket including an inlet and outlet for the circulation of the heat carrier medium.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 1, wherein the electric motor, the fuel pump, and the atomizer nozzle mounted thereon are arranged substantially coaxially in relation to the drive shaft of the electric motor.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 130 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 3, wherein the casing, on the side of the electric motor, includes an open flange traversed by ribs to support the electric motor in the center of the flange, the electric motor having a drive shaft extending to the inside of the casing and carrying the impeller thereon; and the fuel pump is arranged likewise coaxially inside the casing, in the space between the impeller and the atomizing nozzle, and being driven via the aforementioned motor shaft; the casing further including a central air guide in the form of a cone to deflect the combustion air annularly around the fuel pump and to support the latter as well as the atomizer nozzle, the air guide being connected to the casing by radial ribs.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 4, wherein the electric motor and the open flange on which it is mounted are surrounded by a closed, hood-shapd motor cover which includes an intake aperture for the supply of combustion air.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 4, wherein the casing is openable along a radial dividing joint which separates the casing into two axial halves.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 102 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 6, wherein the casing further includes, in the plane of the dividing joint, a peripheral pivot pin engaged by both axial halves and quick-release fasteners holding the two halves together; the motor cover, motor, central air guide, fuel pump and atomizer nozzle being arranged as a burner assembly on, and partially inside, one of the casing halves, while the burner head, combusion chamber and heat exchanger are attached to the other casing half; so that, when the two halves are pivoted open around the peripheral pivot, the fuel pump and atomizer nozzle become conveniently accessible.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 30 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 7, wherein the casing includes two oppositely positioned peripheral pivot pins to make possible pivoting around either pin, when the other is removed.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 6, wherein the fuel pump includes a radially extending fuel supply line, the fuel line being arranged in the dividing joint between the casing halves.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 208 words

A fluid-fuel-fired heater for use in vehicles and the like comprising in combination: a central casing assembly formed by a first casing half and a second casing half which are separable along a casing joint arranged in a plane transverse to the center axis of the casing assembly; an air and fuel supply assembly mounted in the center axis of the first casing half; a combustion chamber and heat exchanger assembly mounted on the second casing half; the air and fuel supply assembly including an electric motor, an air impellor and a fuel pump, both driven by the motor, and a fuel atomizing nozzle extending axially from the fuel pump into the second casing half; the combustion chamber and heat exchanger assembly including a hollow burner head so arranged in the center axis of the second casing half that the atomizing nozzle reaches into the bruner head and discharges fuel through the latter into the combustion chamber; and the casing joint including a pivot connection at a distance from the casing center axis and quick-release clamping means opposite the pivot connection, the pivot being so positioned that the casing halves can be swung open so as to expose the atomizing nozzle and the fuel pump for easy access.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 208 words

A fluid-fuel-fired heater for use in vehicles and the like comprising in combination: a central casing assembly formed by a first casing half and a second casing half which are separable along a casing joint arranged in a plane transverse to the center axis of the casing assembly; an air and fuel supply assembly mounted in the center axis of the first casing half; a combustion chamber and heat exchanger assembly mounted on the second casing half; the air and fuel supply assembly including an electric motor, an air impellor and a fuel pump, both driven by the motor, and a fuel atomizing nozzle extending axially from the fuel pump into the second casing half; the combustion chamber and heat exchanger assembly including a hollow burner head so arranged in the center axis of the second casing half that the atomizing nozzle reaches into the bruner head and discharges fuel through the latter into the combustion chamber; and the casing joint including a pivot connection at a distance from the casing center axis and quick-release clamping means opposite the pivot connection, the pivot being so positioned that the casing halves can be swung open so as to expose the atomizing nozzle and the fuel pump for easy access.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

A vehicle heater as defined in claim 10, wherein the air and fuel supply assembly is so mounted on the first casing half that the airflow created by the impeller flows axially around said assembly and through the burner head into the combustion chamber.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-12-17	1977-06-18	1977-12-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-12-17	1981-06-18	1981-12-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-12-17	1985-06-18	1985-12-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Heater for vehicles

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