Thermostatically controlled gas heater

Claim 2

A gas heater comprising: (a) at least four independently operable heating elements with each heating element adjoining at least one other heating element; (b) manually operable control means connected to each of said heating elements for activating a preselected number of said heating elements, said number being selected from any natural number ranging from one through the total number of heating elements in said plurality; (c) thermostatically operable valve means connected to said manually operable control means and serving as the sole means for supplying gas to said preselected number of said heating elements as determined by operation of said manually operable control means, whereby said preselected number of heating elements may be modulated between off and a desired heat setting; and (d) a pilot light system mounted in the vicinity of said heating elements such that the pilot flame is disposed at the juncture of two of said heating elements, whereby gas admitted adjacent each one of said two heating elements will be ignited directly by said pilot light system and gas admitted adjacent the other of said heating elements will be ignited by the gas burning adjacent the surface of an adjoining heating element.

Claim 3

The gas heater according to claim 1, wherein each of said heating elements is an infrared burner.

Claim 4

The gas heater according to claim 1, wherein said thermostatically operable valve means has a non-electrically operated temperature sensitive operating element.

Claim 5

A gas heater comprising: (a) a plurality of independently operable heating elements; (b) control valve means having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports equal in number to or less than the total number of said heating elements, said control valve means including a movable member for communicating said inlet port with a preselected number of said outlet ports, said preselected number being selected from any natural number ranging from one through the total number of heating elements; (c) a manual control member for operating said movable member; (d) a plurality of conduits, each having an inlet end in communication with respective ones of said outlet ports and an outlet end disposed in the vicinity of respective ones of said heating elements; (e) thermostatically operated valve means having a control element, an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said inlet opening being adapted to receive gas from a gas supply, said valve means having a non-electrically operated temperature sensitive operating element; and (f) a supply conduit communicating said outlet opening with said inlet port, said supply conduit serving as the sole means for supplying gas to said control valve means, whereby said thermostatically operated valve means, in response to a preselected setting of said control element, will regulate gas flow to said preselected number of said heating elements between off and a desired heat setting as determined by the position of said manual control member.

Claim 6

A gas heater comprising: (a) a plurality of independently operable heating elements; (b) control valve means having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports equal in number to or less than the total number of said heating elements, said control valve means including a movable member for communicating said inlet port with a preselected number of said outlet ports, said preselected number being selected from any natural number ranging from one through the total number of heating elements; (c) a manual control member for operating said movable member; (d) a plurality of conduits, each having an inlet end in communication with respective ones of said outlet ports and an outlet end disposed in the vicinity of respective ones of said heating elements; (e) thermostatically operated valve means having a control element, an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said inlet opening being adapted to receive gas from a gas supply, said valve means having a non-electrically operated temperature sensitive operating element; and (f) a supply conduit communicating said outlet opening with said inlet port, said supply conduit serving as the sole means for supplying gas to said control valve means, whereby said thermostatically operated valve means, in response to a preselected setting of said control element, will regulate gas flow to said preselected number of said heating elements between off and a desired heat setting as determined by the position of said manual control member.

Claim 7

The gas heater according to claim 4 wherein the number of said outlet ports is equal to the number of said heating elements.

Claim 8

The gas heater according to claim 4, wherein each of said heating elements is an infrared burner.

Claim 9

A gas heater comprising: (a) at least four independently operable heating elements, each heating element adjoining at least one other heating element; (b) control valve means having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports equal in number to or less than the total number of said heating elements, said control valve means including a movable member for communicating said inlet port with a preselected number of said outlet ports, said preselected number being selected from any natural number ranging from one through the total number of heating elements; (c) a manual control member for operating said movable member; (d) a plurality of conduits, each having an inlet end in communication with respective ones of said outlet ports and an outlet end disposed in the vicinity of respective ones of said heating elements; (e) thermostatically operated valve means having a control element, an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said inlet opening being adapted to receive gas from a gas supply; (f) a supply conduit communicating said outlet opening with said inlet port, said supply conduit serving as the sole means for supplying gas to said control valve means, whereby said thermostatically operated valve means, in response to a preselected setting of said control element, will regulate gas flow to said preselected number of said heating elements between off and a desired heat setting as determined by the position of said manual control member; and (g) a pilot light system mounted in the vicinity of said heating elements such that the pilot flame is disposed at the juncture of two of said heating elements, whereby gas admitted adjacent each one of said two heating elements will be ignited directly by said pilot light system and gas admitted adjacent the other of said heating elements will be ignited by the gas burning adjacent the surface of an adjoining heating element.

Claim 10

A gas heater comprising: (a) at least four independently operable heating elements, each heating element adjoining at least one other heating element; (b) control valve means having an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports equal in number to or less than the total number of said heating elements, said control valve means including a movable member for communicating said inlet port with a preselected number of said outlet ports, said preselected number being selected from any natural number ranging from one through the total number of heating elements; (c) a manual control member for operating said movable member; (d) a plurality of conduits, each having an inlet end in communication with respective ones of said outlet ports and an outlet end disposed in the vicinity of respective ones of said heating elements; (e) thermostatically operated valve means having a control element, an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said inlet opening being adapted to receive gas from a gas supply; (f) a supply conduit communicating said outlet opening with said inlet port, said supply conduit serving as the sole means for supplying gas to said control valve means, whereby said thermostatically operated valve means, in response to a preselected setting of said control element, will regulate gas flow to said preselected number of said heating elements between off and a desired heat setting as determined by the position of said manual control member; and (g) a pilot light system mounted in the vicinity of said heating elements such that the pilot flame is disposed at the juncture of two of said heating elements, whereby gas admitted adjacent each one of said two heating elements will be ignited directly by said pilot light system and gas admitted adjacent the other of said heating elements will be ignited by the gas burning adjacent the surface of an adjoining heating element.