Electric heating and humidifying apparatus

Claim 1

A space heating apparatus comprising a main enclosure having a front and a rear wall, side walls and a top and bottom wall; an air inlet opening in said front wall, a filter in said opening, an impeller fan mounted within said enclosure adjacent said opening for drawing outside air into said enclosure through said filter and convecting it through predetermined paths in said enclosure and out of said enclosure through vent openings provided therein, and intermediate enclosure secured between said front and rear walls and having a back wall spaced from said main enclosure rear wall to permit passage of convected air in a space between said back wall and rear wall, said intermediate enclosure being positioned about said opening in said front wall whereby said impeller fan is located within said intermediate enclosure, heating elements secured in said intermediate enclosure between said fan and said back wall for heating said air, an opening in a top wall of said intermediate enclosure for release of air drawn and heated in said intermediate enclosure, said back wall being heated by said heating elements to further heat convected air passing between said back wall and rear wall, a water reservoir having a heater therein for heating water in said reservoir to the boiling point whereby water vapour is mixed with the air convected through said predetermined paths, a horizontal intermediate wall secured a predetermined distance above said intermediate enclosure and said water reservoir and located between said front and rear wall of said main enclosure, and an opening in said horizontal intermediate wall to permit passage of some of said convected air therethrough and out through said vent opening above said intermediate enclosure, said opening in said intermediate enclosure being located adjacent said main enclosure front wall, and said opening in said horizontal intermediate wall being located adjacent said main enclosure rear wall, and control means for regulating the operation time cycle of said fan, heating elements and heater, there being at least three times as much air directed downwardly than that directed upwardly in said housing.